Voluntary Cybersecurity Approach Not Good Enough

The Bush administration has been using a market-based, voluntary approach to encourage companies to improve cybersecurity. But now a new report says that approach is just not good enough.

In an article on the Washington Technology website, Ben Bain says the Internet Security Alliance (ISAlliance) released the report, which also called on the Obama administration to form a cybersecurity social contract with industry based on economic incentives.

“The group said the voluntary approach laid out by the Bush administration has not been sufficient because it is missing incentives to encourage companies to invest beyond their corporate interests and for the greater public good of cybersecurity,” Bain says. “The organization said government mandates were not the right approach, in part because of the global nature of the Internet and the negative effects they could have on US industry.”

“Industry and government must construct a mutually beneficial social contract which addresses, creatively and pragmatically, the security of our cyber infrastructure,” ISAlliance said.

Larry Clinton, president of the ISAlliance, told Bain that although corporations have been working with the Homeland Security Department, there is still work to be done.

“There is a public interest in the entire system being upgraded and government needs to deal with industry at the business plan level,” he told Bain.

To read the full article, click here: http://www.washingtontechnology.com/online/1_1/33962-1.html