At the Nexus of Cybersecurity and Public Policy: Some Basic Concepts and Issues

摘要

Today, cybersecurity is widely viewed as a matter of pressing national importance. Many elements of cyberspace are notoriously vulnerable to an expanding range of attacks by a spectrum of hackers, criminals, terrorists, and state actors. For example, government agencies and private-sector companies both large and small suffer from cyber thefts of sensitive information, cyber vandalism (e.g., defacing of Web sites), and denial-of-service attacks. The nation's critical infrastructure, including the electric power grid, air traffic control system, financial systems, and communication networks, depends extensively on information technology for its operation. Concerns about the vulnerability of the information technology on which the nation relies have deepened in the security-conscious environment after the September 11, 2001, attacks and in light of increased cyber espionage directed at private companies and government agencies in the United States.