When President Obama spoke about cybersecurity last week the Whitehouse also released a 40 page “Cyberspace Policy Review” that included a thorough analysis concluding that the world’s economy is dependence on the Internet. The Cyberspace Policy Review reinforced my Five Big Bang Theory of the Internet and is detailed in an Appendix (see chart below) which includes a reminder to the US about the October 1957 launch of Sputnik got the US started on its space race. Sputnik led President Kennedy to his 1961 promise to put a person ‘on the moon by the end of the decade.’ President Kennedy’s promise directly led to funding of DARPA in 1962 that started to the Internet.

 

 

How Secure is the Internet?

Recent blogs questioning the state of Internet security and how well the US manages cybersecurity reinforce the need for an improvement in cybersecurity not only by the US, but other countries around the world. To improve cybersecurity countries around the world will have to unite, it is not possible for the US to succeed without partnerships with its allies which is stressed in the Cyberspace Policy Review. Last year there were reports that the Russian Business Network hijacked the websites of the Georgian government, and there continue to be headlines in that vein with militants and countries with political unrest.

Partnerships Required

The Cyberspace Policy Review makes the point that partnerships of all sorts are required between federal, state, and local governments, as well as private enterprise. Ironically enough the Cyberspace Policy Review points out that most of the Internet infrastructure is owned by private enterprise for commercial reasons. Accordingly if the new cybersecurity plans are to be successful surely all the players will have to work together as partners. Appointing a Cybersecurity Czar will not solve the problems identified in the Cyberspace Policy Review, rather hopefully the Cybersecurity Czar will allow the US to focus energies to help protect the Internet and its infrastructure.

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