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A Lawless Terrain
Posted by Randy | January 14, 2011
"It's an area with no rules, there are no boundaries, it happens with the speed of light," the military's top officer Admiral Mike Mullen said at the Washington Foreign Press Center.

He was referring to cyberspace, an area that is considered a “lawless terrain.”

Admiral Mullen went on to warn that the threat of a cyber attack on the U.S. is substantial, and that it could have a devastating impact on our nation.

Many individuals do not realize the extent to which cyberattacks could impact us as a nation. The U.S. is more dependent on our computer systems than any other country – from military readiness to transportation and energy grids to banking systems to national security operations to civilian infrastructure. An infiltration of any of these systems could sabotage power plants or financial markets with an online attack, stop transportation systems with a hacking of communication systems, or result in billions of dollars in annual losses to businesses around the globe.

I have long said that it is not enough to simply promise to deter and protect our national systems; we need to have a whole-of-government and state-of-the art strategic cyberdefense plan. I have requested hearings on cybersecurity plans, and intend to do the same in the 112th Congress so we can begin moving towards a solution.

I am also a member of the House Cybersecurity Caucus, whose purpose is to actively create dialogue among members of Congress to identify challenges and make recommendations on cybersecurity.

Weigh in on this issue: Do you believe the U.S. is prepared for a cyber attack? Do you think enhancing the state of cyber security in the U.S. should be a priority?
Comments
Users are solely responsible for the opinions they post here and their comments do not necessarily reflect the views of Congressman Forbes.
  • Ann Benedict commented on 1/14/2011
    We definitely need to make our cybersystem more secure. Countries like China, The Phillipines, Africa and others are known to strike often on business and personal cites. Even with spyware and malware removers, they have a way of getting in and tampering with content and causing major disruptions. Domestic hackers are cause for concern as well and may be easier to track down. In all cases, we need to make our computers more secure and private.
  • Peggy Townsend commented on 1/14/2011
    I DO NOT think we are prepared for a cyberattack! I feel that our country would be much better served by eliminating the many earmarked "pork barrel" projects added to Congressional bills and utilizing these funds for better cyberdefense. One of my many concerns is that according to Bloomberg, the feds are considering outsourcing federal IT programs. As you may know, the State of Virginia has contracted their IT out to Northrup- Grumman for the past few years at a staggering price tag and there have been MAJOR problems resulting. This past fall, ALL of the DMV was offline for days and some of the state employee payroll checks and assistance checks to needy citizens were significantly delayed. Other than Defense and Homeland Security, I can't think of any department where we should have only the best-of -the -best federal EMPLOYEES with high security clearances working it is in our IT area! Didn't we learn anything from the Wikileaks breach?
  • Bruce Lanning commented on 1/14/2011
    Please make this a high priority, the theat is real and will always be ongoing. Thanks for your efforts. Please keep us advised.
  • Jeff Tillery commented on 1/14/2011
    I am not under the impression that the US is not prepared for a cyber attack. One way to have a defense against cyber attack is to have back up equipment, that is not online and is not connected to any system that is online. If the systems that are online are attacked, then the back up equipment can immediately kick in and take over what ever operations the online system was performing. I personally have a internet business and I have a lap top that is my back up and it is never taken online. If my system is corrupted with some cyber bug that causes my system to crash on my main computer system, I will walk over to my laptop, go online and continue my business without missing a beat. All Government and business should take the same back up steps to ensure they never loose data or have their computer taken over by a 3rd party. I do not support more regulation on the private internet market as a means of protecting Government computer systems that may not even need to be online.
  • Bob Hines commented on 1/14/2011
    Our country has been, and I hope still is, about Freedom and Liberty. The internet, warts and all, is about freedom of thought and the liberty of ideas! Now, unfortunately, it seems that nearly everyone in D.C., many Republicans included, are all too happy to surrender the freedoms and liberties of Americans in the name of government provided security! Leave the internet alone! Please fight back against all of these government sponsored ideas to "protect us" from the possible harms of the internet! Let freedom reign!
  • Allen Shepard commented on 1/14/2011
    Are we ready? Probably not for two reasons - The tools and means are too new. Computer traffic can be under others control. April 8th, 2010 China routes 15% of world internet traffic through China Source: http://www.computersecurityarticles.info/antivirus/china-hijacks-15-of-internet-traffic/ What is at risk is not tangible nor shockable items like food, money, fuel, etc. What is at risk is underpinnings of business and governance: telephone (VoIP), banking, commerce, etc. Few have paper backup. Even so to infecting regular computers disrupts internal business. Few are trained to reload their PCs from scratch to undo an attack virus. Hopefully M.A.D., which has kept nuclear peace, keeps any cyber attack small. Thanks for your time.
  • Judith Lear commented on 1/14/2011
    Absolutely! Correct! No need to expand on this other than to say ... we are vulnerable as a nation -- yes, a nation. ALL of us.
  • Marieda Craghead commented on 1/14/2011
    Thank you so much for continuing to push for hearings on a cyber defense plan. It is critical. Do everything you can to make the public aware of the seriousness of such an attack. I appreciate your commitment and diligence to work for the best interests of our country.
  • Donna Wike commented on 1/15/2011
    No, I do NOT believe the U.S. is prepared for a cyber attack. We definitely NEED some sort of cyber security for any system that is computerized. But, please, keep it out of the hands of the FCC. Perhaps use the Military - create a specific department within it for the sole purpose of preventing an attack from that angle?
  • Ray Ross, Jr commented on 1/15/2011
    Randy, I think cyber security should be on the front burner. I am glad you are on such an important committee.
  • ALICE TIPTON commented on 1/15/2011
    CONGRESSMEN RANNDY YOU ARE RIGHT IN YOUR ARTICLE TO PROTECT CYBERSPACE AND TO PUT GOD FIRST AND THEN MAKE THE DECISIONS TO PROTECT AMERICA THRU THE INTERNET-THEY ARE PLANNING TO ATTACT THE COMPUTOR SYSTEM EVEN NOW-SO FOLLOW YOUR INNER WITNESS THAT STILL SMALL VOICE-THANKS RANDY FOR ALL YOU DO-PEACE TO YOURS-FROM A FRIEND ALICE
  • Ronald Brooks commented on 1/15/2011
    No security would have stopped what happened at Wikly leaks. That was a problem that was caused by the governments own failures. I feel that cybersecurity is good to a point as it should not impose on our fee us of the Internet. The government should be responsible for their own computer system as should everyone on the net. There are a lot of people out there that don't take any security measures to protect their computers and then cry when they get hit. If the government can't protect their systems then don't come and try and impose road blocks on everyone else.
  • Sandra Miller commented on 1/15/2011
    No, I do not believe the US is not prepared for any type of cyber attack. I agree, we need a cyber defense plan. We need something that is going to outline what we would do in case of a cyber attack.
  • Edward Kast commented on 1/15/2011
    No to the first question, yes to the second. I encourage you to keep working towards this goal
  • East Tennesseean commented on 1/15/2011
    I support you being a member of the House Cybersecurity Caucus. The US is NOT prepared for a sophisticated attack on our Cyber network. So much could be said about this area, but let it suffice to say that one of the first things that needs to be done is identify those industries that are critical to the safety and well being of the US, understand what those industries are doing to protect their networks, and determine if there is a necessity for law makers to step in. These identified industries need to be asked to provide your committee a time table and plan to secure their networks and your committee needs to look at possible incentives to help them get there.
  • Stephen Louderback commented on 1/15/2011
    On one hand we can't allow the government too much control over the internet for obvious reasons, but on the other we can't leave it wide open to terrorists and criminals either. We should be able to break the internet into various segments and use controls that are appropriate for each. Military, police, power grids, etc should be heavily defended with extensive "over-ride" functions built in should they be compromised. Private sector internet should be left largely alone without big brother involved. A one-size-fits-all approach is dangerous, and threatens our freedoms. Any power we give the government over "THE" internet is too much and will be hard to reign in later, but securing that which really does need to be secured can be done without affecting freedom. Perhaps the internet can be broken apart physically as well as functionally to separate public from private, then there would be no reason for government to be involved in the private internet at all. Pertaining to the question Mr. Forbes asked: "Do you think enhancing the state of cyber security in the U.S. should be a priority? " I would answer only an extremely conditional "yes".
  • Darrell van commented on 1/15/2011
    We are not prepared. We need Aircraft ground and shielding requirements -on the ground. We need counter ecm to probable nations who attack. Ionic dissipation. We need controls that can function both ways, hand and electronic on water, gas and communication. We need old systems between major cities to remain operable. We need electrical grid and local prower system distribution backups. and a whole lot of computer security updates to production systems and services. We need more feet on the ground and less Fort Hutch-ca control. We need more stop signs and flow control that is not electronic. Not many thick in time of the need-n New Orleans for example. Learn from that--like radio communication needs.
  • Ron Ogletree,Sr. commented on 1/16/2011
    This would be of vital concern to our interests,also jobs, taxes lowered ,and less government intrusion and we must make our borders secure.
  • Dennis Wenrick commented on 1/16/2011
    The enemy of our country will certainly has a strategy to implement a disaster as they did on 9-11. I know in my business if computer network systems went out, I would be out of business. I support the Federal Government employ the best in our country to be constantly vigilant of this war front.
  • Daniel Moore, RN, RCS commented on 1/16/2011
    Simply stated, no, we are not prepared for a cyber-attack. Just as the Pentagon refused to acknowledge the offensive capabilities of the Chinese when discussing their new weapons to destroy our carrier forces, I believe the same Pentagon is woefully in the dark as far as our vulnerability to cyber-attack. Hearings are nice; immediate action is imperative! But, this is not to endorse some new tax revenue source in the name of internet security. Keep the govt hands off of the last bastion of freedom left in the world. Protect our 'systems' but stay out of our lives!
  • David Barth commented on 1/17/2011
    I'm certain that changes have been made that would stop internal information leaks like what happened in the wikileaks scandal, but I was surprised to hear that a lower ranking serviceman was able to access and remove such important information. I think that people are too casual about the possibility of leaks and think that a little bit of security is enough. When it comes to national security and national defense, the biggest danger is that of people being casual like taking a laptop home with sensitive data on it, or not following all security procedures because they are "comfortable with and don't suspect" others in their work area as intending to do harm.
  • DARRYLL JOHNSON commented on 1/18/2011
    ALL MAJOR, IMPORTANT SYSTEMS MUST BE SECURED VIA CRYPTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT. BUT AS USUAL, OUR GOVERNMENT WILL BE RE-ACTIVE AND NOT PRO-ACTIVE.
  • Larry McKee commented on 2/12/2011
    I do not think "we" are prepared for a cyber attack - "we" includes government, industry, and individuals. Everyday Internet users are quick to footstomp the desire to keep their freedoms, but also want a government phone number to call when their identity is stolen, their credit cards max'd out, and their bank accounts empty. I am beginning to think we need two "public internets". One is secure and accountable; the other can be the Wild West as it exists today. As for national security items such as critical infrastructure (power, finance, etc) - these may be a third "internet" which is separate fromt he two "public internets". It definitely needs to be a higher priority, and it will definitely take government assistance to sort it out before it is too late. But I'm no fan of government getting overly involved. Keep it to the minimum necessary - don't try to make it a government run business.
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