Cyber War, Cyber Peace, Stones, and Glass Houses

Gary McGraw

Abstract:

Washington has become transfixed by cyber security and with good reason. Cyber threats cost Americans billions of dollars each year and put U.S. troops at risk. Yet, too much of the discussion about cyber security is ill informed, and even sophisticated policymakers struggle to sort hype from reality. As a result, Washington focuses on many of the wrong things. Offense overshadows defense. National security concerns dominate the discussion even though most costs of insecurity are borne by civilians. Meanwhile, effective but technical measures like security engineering and building secure software are overlooked. In my view, cyber security policy must focus on solving the software security problem – fixing the broken stuff. We must refocus our energy on addressing the glass house problem instead of on building faster, more accurate stones to throw.

Time and Place

Monday, April 22, 2013, 4:30pm
Gates 463A