Charlie Mitchell

Charlie Mitchell's new book is Hacked: The Inside Story of America's Struggle to Secure Cyberspace. From his Q&A with Deborah Kalb:

Q: You write of cybersecurity, "Is it a military or law enforcement problem? Is it industry's responsibility to secure cyberspace, or is it government's? The answers easily fall into the 'all of the above' category." What are some of the most common perceptions and misperceptions about the cybersecurity problems facing the U.S. today?

A: There is a common perception that "someone else" is taking care of the problem, whether that's the government, big business or ... someone.

But this is an "all-hands" issue, extending into every household. People need to practice good cyber hygiene: strong passwords, changed frequently; not opening links blindly, etc.

Businesses need to employ "best practices" developed by industry groups and available for little or no cost.

And government needs to better explain expectations, including what it can and will do, and what it can't and won't do.

For instance, to this day no one knows how the U.S. government characterizes cyber attacks launched by foreign governments or associated entities. Are these acts of war? If so, can businesses be expected to bear the costs of defending against them?

It's an open debate and we are...[read on]

--Marshal Zeringue