Hackers beware – new federal cyber-office created
Recognizing the need to protect America’s digital infrastructure, President Obama announced on May 29, 2009, the creation of the first White House Office of Cyber Security. The so-called cyber-czar will coordinate efforts to combat online hackers, terrorists and spies.
The President stated that “It’s now clear that this cyberthreat is one of the most serious economic and national-security challenges we face as a nation. . . .We’re not as prepared as we should be, as a government or as a country,” Obama said. Concern has been expressed about the nation’s military networks, cyberespionage, and the country’s electrical grid among others.
Photo by Ted Drake (Flickr)
The President cited his own experience as an example of our vulnerability. In 2008, hackers attacked his campaign computer system gaining access to e-mails and files but not contributors’ data. He made it clear, however, that the new cybersecurity effort would not involve monitoring of private networks or individual e-mail accounts. The Internet, he said, should remain open and free.
