Cyber Security in This Year’s Election – The Role It Played In 2012

For more than a decade, we have been at risk of cyber war and cyber terror due to political disputes or hacktivists bent on disruption. Our information, financial systems and critical infrastructures are the main targets. In 2012, cyber security became part of our popular culture due to the elections.

The Obama administration made the most significant advances in 2 ways: moving the discussion forward in creating minimum cyber security standards for all those responsible for critical infrastructure and moving forward in creating trusted identities in cyberspace. The National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC) envisions a cyber world – the Identity Ecosystem – that improves upon the passwords currently used to log-in online. It would include a vibrant marketplace that allows people to choose among multiple identity providers – both private and public – that would issue trusted credentials that prove identity.

And of course the Democrats and Republicans do not agree on next steps. The Republicans have stated Obama’s plans cost too much and are ineffective. Both candidates disagreed throughout the campaign.

ABC News reports  “The uncomfortable reality of our world today is that bits and bytes can be as threatening as bullets and bombs,” Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told lawmakers.

Now it is up to this administration to follow through and get citizens properly identified and to properly protect our critical infrastructure.

Robert Siciliano, personal security expert contributor to Just Ask Gemalto and author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked! . Disclosures