The Cyberspace Race Is On

They may take our networks, but they will never take our freedom

Move over, “War on Drugs.” Step aside, “War on Terror.” The CyberWar is upon us, says the White House in a report released today.

The Cyberspace Policy Review [PDF], prepared by national security and homeland security advisers to President Barack Obama, says the war has already begun:

Our digital infrastructure has already suffered intrusions that have allowed criminals to steal hundreds of millions of dollars and nation-states and other entities to steal intellectual property and sensitive military information. Other intrusions threaten to damage portions of our critical infrastructure. These and other risks have the potential to undermine the Nation’s confidence in the information systems that underlie our economic and national security interests.

Lest you think my headline’s comparison to the U.S. – Russia space race is a wee bit of an exaggeration, check out this line from the report:

People cannot value security without first understanding how much is at risk. Therefore, the Federal government should initiate a national public awareness and education campaign informed by previous successful campaigns. Further, similar to the period after the launch of the Sputnik satellite in October, 1957, the United States is in a global race that depends on mathematics and science skills.

Small tribes — a.k.a. federal agencies — are fighting battles on their own. They need a Braveheart to unite them. The report issues the cry for a Cybersecurity Commander — my term, not theirs — to be the leader in this war.

Various federal agencies are fighting battles on their own, but the report says they must all unite and fight under one general. Since this is a serious war, the leader of our forces should be at Central Command not farmed out to a federal agency. The chosen  “cybersecurity official” will be based at the White House, rather than at the National Security Council.

The Cybersecurity Commander will be responsible for marshaling the forces of both government agencies and private companies:

The United States cannot succeed in securing cyberspace if it works in isolation. The Federal government should enhance its partnership with the private sector. The public and private sectors’ interests are intertwined with a shared responsibility for ensuring a secure, reliable infrastructure.

Cuz yeah, for the most part, the private sector is a wee bit more advanced than the government in protecting data and fending off hackers. The government stinks at keeping data private, with Los Alamos and FAA breaches in one week in February and Social Security numbers regularly handed out like candy by the U.S. Departments of Veteran Affairs, Transportation, Agriculture, Education, and Commerce. (See for yourself: search “U.S. Dept of” on the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse’s data breach database.)

Though I hope the Cybersecurity Commander will avoid partnering with the many companies that do keep letting data breaches happen.

Obama’s very aware of the tension between security and privacy, says the Wall Street Journal in its article on the release of today’s report:

Mr. Obama also said that he remains “committed” to net neutrality and that White House cybersecurity initiatives will not include monitoring private-sector networks or Internet traffic. “We will preserve and protect the personal privacy and civil liberties that we cherish as Americans,” he said.

via Obama Releases Cybersecurity Report: ‘Much Work to Be Done’ – Digits – WSJ.

I don’t know who’ll fit the bill for Cybersecurity Commander, but I hope he or she is equal parts Captain Kirk, General Patton, Bill Gates, and Braveheart.