By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
SmartData CollectiveSmartData Collective
  • Analytics
    AnalyticsShow More
    data Analytics instagram stories
    Data Analytics Helps Marketers Make the Most of Instagram Stories
    15 Min Read
    analyst,women,looking,at,kpi,data,on,computer,screen
    What to Know Before Recruiting an Analyst to Handle Company Data
    6 Min Read
    AI analytics
    AI-Based Analytics Are Changing the Future of Credit Cards
    6 Min Read
    data overload showing data analytics
    How Does Next-Gen SIEM Prevent Data Overload For Security Analysts?
    8 Min Read
    hire a marketing agency with a background in data analytics
    5 Reasons to Hire a Marketing Agency that Knows Data Analytics
    7 Min Read
  • Big Data
  • BI
  • Exclusive
  • IT
  • Marketing
  • Software
Search
© 2008-23 SmartData Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: The State of US Cyber Security
Share
Notification Show More
Aa
SmartData CollectiveSmartData Collective
Aa
Search
  • About
  • Help
  • Privacy
Follow US
© 2008-23 SmartData Collective. All Rights Reserved.
SmartData Collective > Data Management > Privacy > The State of US Cyber Security
ExclusiveITPrivacyRisk ManagementSecurity

The State of US Cyber Security

bcornell
Last updated: 2017/05/25 at 1:42 PM
bcornell
5 Min Read
big data in space
Lockheed Martin employees are seen at work in November of 2009 in the company's NexGen Cyber Innovation & Technology Center, which monitors internet threats, shortly after the facility opened in Gaithersburg, Marylanda as seen in this Lockheed Martin handout photo released to Reuters on June 15, 2011. The Pentagon is about to roll out an expanded effort to safeguard its contractors from hackers and is building a virtual firing range in cyberspace to test new technologies, according to officials familiar with the plans, as a recent wave of cyber attacks boosts concerns about U.S. vulnerability to digital warfare. The twin efforts show how President Barack Obama's administration is racing on multiple fronts to plug the holes in U.S. cyber defenses. To match Special Report USA-CYBERSECURITY/ REUTERS/Eric Schulzinger/Lockheed Martin Corp/Handout (UNITED STATES - Tags: MILITARY SCI TECH) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. MANDATORY CREDIT
SHARE

During the first week of May 2017 President Donald Trump signed a cyber security executive order focusing on upgrading government IT systems to improve the state of digital security. The order was long awaited by many given the recent tidal wave of security breaches and hacking attacks affecting major corporations in the US and has been considered a positive step forward by many leaders in the field. The document states that the President has implemented a new technology council to take responsibility over advising the US government on ways to modernize its existing IT systems and operations, meeting with Silicon Valley innovators to come up with a strategy to upgrade the outdated technology. The order also calls on the Director of National Intelligence to “provide access to classified information on cybersecurity threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigation procedures to the ATC” to improve knowledge and facilitate change.

What are the implications?

The POTUS’ cyber security executive order is an important step for the country, demonstrating government recognition of the current issues threatening US cyber security and the risks that come with reliance on outdated IT systems. By launching a government commitment to tackle these issues head on, we can expect that the implementation of modernized systems will reduce the threat of cyber attacks and provide greater security protection, which, in turn, will filter down to influence other corporations to take similar action, leading to a safer digital environment across the USA.

The dangers of legacy IT

More Read

using data-driven cybersecurity to fight ACH fraud

Remote IT and Cybersecurity Careers for Data Scientists

Ways To Secure IoT Devices from Cyber Attacks
Cyber Insurance Could Keep Your SMB Afloat Post Cyber Attack
The Benefits Of Pursuing AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Certification
IT Industry Embraces Data-Led Approach As New Buzzword Emerges

Many companies still rely on IT systems that are over 3 years old to run their businesses and the security risks this poses are widespread, with data breaches having the potential to affect large groups of the population if they occur. Older systems are more likely to suffer vulnerabilities for three main reasons.

1. Design – most older IT systems weren’t designed with security in mind in the way that modern technology now is. These services do not tend to support advanced encryption and authentication processes required to create a secure environment, meaning that ensuring a high level of security protection becomes increasingly difficult and expensive as the level of threat becomes more and more sophisticated.

2. Familiarity – hacking older software is a lot easier for cyber attackers as they have had plenty of time to explore and become familiar with these programs, being able to take the time to establish any weaknesses in the programs and perfect their attack. This is why many browser extensions are no longer supported by software vendors (for example Google not running Flash)

3. Evolution – after a certain amount of time, IT systems will stop supporting new updates and patches as they cannot run the code effectively. This leaves the older systems vulnerable to threats such as viruses and malware which would be picked up by these security updates on a newer model.

The benefits of modernizing government IT systems

NextGov suggests that the US federal government spends around three quarters of its $80 billion IT budget on legacy system running costs. Whilst an upgrade in technology is expensive and holding off modernization due to budget restraints seems understandable, it is a false economy. As we can see with this statistic, the cost of maintaining a functioning legacy system can often be vast, and if a data breach occurs due to vulnerabilities in an old system, the financial and reputational implications will always outweigh the cost of upgrading.

By modernizing governmental IT systems, the threats posed by outdated systems will be mitigated and the system will be better protected against hackers, viruses and data loss. Newer systems built with security concerns at their heart will be able to facilitate the updates and patches needed to protect the government system from the latest cyber dangers. Given the reach and impact that US government IT systems have on vital services such as the military and the fact that they hold valuable data on the population as a whole, taking these steps towards upgrading will be a genuine move towards a safer and more efficient tech system that will help to protect the US from the devastating risks of cyber threats caused by legacy IT.

TAGGED: Cyber Security, it
bcornell May 25, 2017
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn
Share

Follow us on Facebook

Latest News

ai low code frameworks
AI Can Help Accelerate Development with Low-Code Frameworks
Artificial Intelligence
data Analytics instagram stories
Data Analytics Helps Marketers Make the Most of Instagram Stories
Analytics
data breaches
How Hospital Security Breaches Devastate Local Communities
Policy and Governance
analyst,women,looking,at,kpi,data,on,computer,screen
What to Know Before Recruiting an Analyst to Handle Company Data
Analytics

Stay Connected

1.2k Followers Like
33.7k Followers Follow
222 Followers Pin

You Might also Like

using data-driven cybersecurity to fight ACH fraud
Data Science

Remote IT and Cybersecurity Careers for Data Scientists

9 Min Read
IoT devices and cyber attacks
Internet of Things

Ways To Secure IoT Devices from Cyber Attacks

8 Min Read
cyber attacks and cyber insurance
Security

Cyber Insurance Could Keep Your SMB Afloat Post Cyber Attack

5 Min Read
cloud practitioner certification
Cloud Computing

The Benefits Of Pursuing AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Certification

4 Min Read

SmartData Collective is one of the largest & trusted community covering technical content about Big Data, BI, Cloud, Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, IoT & more.

data-driven web design
5 Great Tips for Using Data Analytics for Website UX
Big Data
ai is improving the safety of cars
From Bolts to Bots: How AI Is Fortifying the Automotive Industry
Artificial Intelligence

Quick Link

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Follow US
© 2008-23 SmartData Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Go to mobile version
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?