Combating Billions of Cyber-Threats Requires International Collaboration

The US won't be able to safeguard its vulnerable networks and critical infrastructure from cyber-attacks without including the international community in the endeavor, according to a June report from the Center for a New American Security, an independent and nonpartisan research institution that studies national security.

“Foreign cyber intruders have penetrated America’s power grid, and while their intentions are unclear, the potential for harm is considerable,” wrote authors in a 200-page, two-volume series, America’s Cyber Future: Security and Prosperity in the Information Age. The literature discloses that Congress and federal agencies are hit with roughly 1.8 billion cyber-attacks monthly. Engaging foreign partners is one of several recommendations for policymakers mentioned in the report.

Others include:
aiming to keep malicious activity in cyber-space below a threshold by strengthening risk assessment capabilities and creating an information sharing center for agencies;

• clearly defining in policy what cyber-behavior is or isn't acceptable;
• launching a national commission on Internet development that could possibly shape changes to underlying Internet architecture over time; and
• enhancing government oversight of federal cyber-security developments and protocols in various agencies.