Editor’s Note: For an overview of why federal regulation of critical infrastructure cyber security is inevitable and essential, see The Coming Cybersecurity Regulatory Revolution and Cost-Effectiveness: The Prerequisite for Cybersecurity Regulation.
From: The Heritage Foundation
By David Inserra and Paul Rosenzweig
Recent high-profile private-sector hacks have once again put a spotlight on the issue of cybersecurity.[1] This is a serious problem that requires legislation to improve the United States’ cybersecurity posture, but the U.S. should not reflexively adopt government regulation of cyberspace as a solution. There are concerns that such a response would not be cost-effective and would have an adverse effect on innovation. It could also potentially create a mindset of compliance rather than of security. Additionally, the government’s own cybersecurity track record raises questions about the effectiveness of government cyber regulations.
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Cybersecurity for All
These breaches of government security as well as the many high-profile private-sector failures demonstrate that no cybersecurity system is perfect: There is no silver bullet. However, the U.S. can take simple and low-cost steps such as information sharing to improve public and private cybersecurity efforts. Such steps, along with reforms in cybersecurity insurance, supply chain security, and cyber workforce development, can make the U.S. more secure in cyberspace.
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