Cyber Security in the New Computing Age: Protection Roles by the Private Sector vs. the Government

Watch these clips from this panel from the AGI Annual Symposium:

Pearls of Cyber Wisdom: Leading Executives’ Recommendations for Enterprise Cybersecurity (6:07)

Millennials and Cybersecurity: Changing Generational Views on Digital Morality (3:44)

You Just Don’t Know: Enterprise Cybersecurity in Shambles as Threats Outpace Security Measures (5:12)

Perverse Incentives and Behavior in Cybersecurity (4:04)

No Exceptions: Private and Public Sector Must Both Improve Cybersecurity (7:22)

Serious cyber-attacks against public and private sector organizations are increasing in frequency and severity.  Recent events have promoted concerns about preventing cyber-attacks while preserving privacy to the top of the political agenda. National—and international—conversations are taking place on the campaign trail, among policymakers, and by the tech-savvy younger generation on the role of the government in a networked world.

Technology has changed the face of cyber security. The exponential growth of network-attached devices, ranging from personal devices (smart phones, tablets, PCs, home networks) to corporate infrastructure (PCs, servers, corporate networks and datacenters) to public infrastructure (utility grids, public transit, defense intelligence) has created opportunities, challenges, and threats to organizations around the globe.  Added to this mix is the resulting growth in data and the increasing sophistication of software to manipulate, analyze, and process these data.

Hackers, once eager young students and programmers anxious to demonstrate their computing prowess through intrusions and playful antics, have evolved.  Now, access to our systems is sought by highly sophisticated organized crime rings operating across borders and national defense agencies pursuing clandestine and military activities.

IBM and other leading IT firms have developed advanced data analytics software to detect and prevent cyber-attacks by leveraging advanced data analysis.  These tools and processes develop insights about the kinds of attacks being launched, who is launching them, and how their techniques are evolving.  These analytics help determine which industries are being targeted, the types of incidents most prevalent, the threat posed, and the factors that allow exposure to cyber-attacks.

With public infrastructure and other national interests increasingly under attack and at risk of attack, governments are playing a more active role in the cyber security world, raising new questions about privacy boundaries and protection agendas.  Questions on the role of government remain: should companies share the data they have with the government? What oversight mechanisms should be in place to prevent abuse by the government? What measures can the government take to fight intrusions?

It is certain that some combination of approaches will be necessary, and this panel will examine what combination of government and corporate power can be combined to determine precisely where attacks emanate, the motives, and the parties responsible.