Political Philosophy
Posted by kmars004 on Dec 1, 2019 in Uncategorized | 0 comments
How should markets, businesses, groups, and individuals be regulated or limited differently in the face of diminishing state power and the intelligification (Verbeek, p217) and networking of the material world?
The current position on cybersecurity seems to be that everyone from everyday citizens to businesses and government agencies should remain on constant alert and be vigilant to existing threats. It is also recommended to take measures to be better prepared for any potential new threats and anticipate the possibilities. Doing so with the knowledge that cyber terrorists and criminals are continuously evolving in their skill sets and can always pose a threat to just about any type of resource. According to one article, the idea should be “persistent engagement” at all times (Healy, 2019).
Policies continue to evolve and shift as we move through various stages of technological growth and advancement. One theory is that in pushing firmly for upkeep in policy and engagement, it forces cyber criminals to expend more resources, go through more rigorous obstacles and pushes the limits of what can be done. The ideal goal is to essentially force the hand of cyber criminals, test what does and does not work and then allow government and other security entities to continue to build their defenses and make more effective policies based on the types of threats, attacks and attempts they encounter. Businesses will have to take a number of aspects into consideration here. Cost effectiveness being one of them as they need to determine what saves money while still being good for the bottom line. The right investments in certain technologies, security, staffing, and increasing the level of knowledge and expertise all have an impact on continued success. Other things to consider will be industry standards, ethics and benefits to consumers. If a company cannot meet industry standards they will find it difficult to compete with competitors and thrive in their market. Consumers want to be able to trust and depend on the companies, products and services they put their hard-earned money into. Ethics is important for the same reasons as this helps to build and sustain business relations.
One issue with the need for developing more and stronger cyber policies is that some government authorities are not as informed or engaged as they could be, thus are not as effective in properly addressing concerns. One article suggests they are not taking cybersecurity serious enough and lack the ability to give the subject the attention it needs. This can be a dangerous position to be in especially in an age where cyber threats are more prevalent and individuals seem to be more at risk than ever before. Former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge commented that “politicians are slow to act and are allowing new threats to take hold”, (Govtech.com, 2018). This makes a very strong point for the need for putting out as much knowledge as possible and gaining a better understanding of all the different aspects of cybersecurity.
With room for yet more improvements, it can be said that some pretty significant strides have been made to increase awareness and put cybersecurity at the forefront in terms of significant issues to address and properly manage. According to Blog.trendmicro.com some suggestions for achieving a safer more secure Internet environment are prioritizing cyber security as a national issue, bolstering international collaboration, forging public-private partnerships, better information sharing and working to pass more key cybersecurity bills and initiatives.
References
Former DHS Official: Cybersecurity Is a War Politicians Aren’t Taking Seriously Enough. (2018, March 8). Retrieved from https://www.govtech.com/security/Former-DHS-Official-Cybersecurity-Is-a-War-Politicians-Arent-Taking-Seriously-Enough.html
Healey, J. (2019). The implications of persistent (and permanent) engagement in cyberspace. Journal of Cybersecurity, 5(1). doi:10.1093/cybsec/tyz008
The intersection of politics and cyber security [Web log post]. (2015, December 1). Retrieved from https://blog.trendmicro.com/the-intersection-of-politics-and-cyber-security/