U.S. Plans for Cyber Attack Prevention
U.S. Plans for Cyber Attack Prevention
CMGT 441
U.S. Plans for Cyber Attack Prevention
Introduction
The improvements being done in technology touted to make lives and work easier also makes it easier for cyber-criminals to perform his or her nefarious deeds. Some of the most vulnerable and potentially damaging targets are critical infrastructures such as the energy grid and nuclear-power plants. To help combat this, the U.S. Government is launching a program dubbed “Perfect Citizen” to help safeguard those critical infrastructures as well as private companies. In this paper I will discuss the Wall Street Journal article on the Perfect Citizen project posted on the Wall Street Journal website.
Article
The Wall Street Journal (2010) website states “The federal government is launching an expansive program dubbed "Perfect Citizen" to detect cyber assaults on private companies and government agencies running such critical infrastructure as the electricity grid and nuclear-power plants, according to people familiar with the program.” This program would be deployed and monitored by the U.S. Governments eavesdropping specialists, the National Security Agency (NSA). The NSA will rely on a series of sensors that will be deployed in high risk computer networks and that will be triggered by unusual activity that may be a prelude to cyber attack. The NSA will not, however, monitor the system on a persistent basis. The program is the brainchild of defense contractor Raytheon Corporation which recently won the classified contract estimated to be worth up to $100 million. This contract is said to be for the initial phase of the surveillance project. The Wall Street Journal (2010) website is quoted as saying “Some industry and government officials familiar with the program see Perfect Citizen as an intrusion by the NSA into domestic affairs, while others say it is an important program to combat an emerging security threat that only the NSA is
CMGT 441
U.S. Plans for Cyber Attack Prevention
Introduction
The improvements being done in technology touted to make lives and work easier also makes it easier for cyber-criminals to perform his or her nefarious deeds. Some of the most vulnerable and potentially damaging targets are critical infrastructures such as the energy grid and nuclear-power plants. To help combat this, the U.S. Government is launching a program dubbed “Perfect Citizen” to help safeguard those critical infrastructures as well as private companies. In this paper I will discuss the Wall Street Journal article on the Perfect Citizen project posted on the Wall Street Journal website.
Article
The Wall Street Journal (2010) website states “The federal government is launching an expansive program dubbed "Perfect Citizen" to detect cyber assaults on private companies and government agencies running such critical infrastructure as the electricity grid and nuclear-power plants, according to people familiar with the program.” This program would be deployed and monitored by the U.S. Governments eavesdropping specialists, the National Security Agency (NSA). The NSA will rely on a series of sensors that will be deployed in high risk computer networks and that will be triggered by unusual activity that may be a prelude to cyber attack. The NSA will not, however, monitor the system on a persistent basis. The program is the brainchild of defense contractor Raytheon Corporation which recently won the classified contract estimated to be worth up to $100 million. This contract is said to be for the initial phase of the surveillance project. The Wall Street Journal (2010) website is quoted as saying “Some industry and government officials familiar with the program see Perfect Citizen as an intrusion by the NSA into domestic affairs, while others say it is an important program to combat an emerging security threat that only the NSA is
References: Gorman, S. (2010). U.S. Plans Cyber Shield for Utilities, Companies. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704545004575352983850463108.html