Cybersecurity Enhancement Act Passes

It is not often that we see any bill pass through Congress completely unopposed. Well, in response to growing concern regarding the nation's vulnerability to cyber attacks, today the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, H.R. 4061, with a vote of 424-0. Amongst other things, the act requires an agency-by-agency assessment of all things cyber, and, following the logic that education is key to future cyber defense, establishes scholarships for students in IT-related fields who agree to work for the government after graduation. One lawmaker went so far as to state that "investing in cybersecurity is the Manhattan Project of our generation," while another said that "troops online are every bit as important to our security as a soldier in the field."

I am glad that the federal government recognizes the seriousness of the threats and is taking positive steps to combat them. With technology permeating almost every aspect of our lives, the potential harm to our system--whether it is monetary, information, etc.--is increasingly devastating. Plus as succeeding generations are more well-versed in technology, as some develop malicious intent the potential attackers are more numerous. In the end, all it takes is one successful attack to cause some serious repercussions. And if a single hacker can cause serious harm, what about a rogue state that views the US and our way of life as enemies?

Hopefully this bill, and others like it in the future, will provide for the proper defense of our technology against attack. Sometimes bi-partisanship can work, after all.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/house-passes-cybersecurity-bill/?ref=technology