Is Cyber Security a Concern for America?

It is obvious that something is important if the president of the United States takes time to address it. President Obama has declared that the risk of cyber threats, scams, and attacks are among the most serious economic and national security challenges that the nation faces today. He also went on to say the prosperity of the American people in this and the coming centuries will depend on how strong of a protection we have against the cyber threats. There is little doubt that the United States cyber security is of top concern for all. With that in mind, let’s look at three of the biggest areas of concern when it comes to the United States cyber security.

Power Grids

It may not be apparent at first how this could tie into cyber security issues, but think about the world we live in today. Just about everything, from the food we eat, to the gas we put in our cars, and the clothes we buy involves the internet and computer technology somehow. Crops are grown with computerized watering and fertilizer systems. Gas is made with computer controlled programs. Clothes are mass produced with highly technical computerized machines. And all of these things require power to run. Guess what; even the power we use every single day is dependent on the internet and computers. The threat here is that a cyber attack could cause parts of the U.S. power grid to go offline, sending entire areas of the country into darkness.

Finances

This area of concern is a little more obvious because banks obviously rely on technology and the internet for much of their customer access today. With mobile banking becoming the norm, these types of institutions are very susceptible to attacks. If you use your tablet or mobile phone to access your bank or use an unsecure server at a coffee shop, someone can hack your computer, get your bank account and drain all your money. Especially when you are traveling, you need to be cautious and protect your credit cards, bank account, and personal information. Protecting yourself against cyber attacks must be done when traveling and at home. Keeping your credit cards safe, along with all of your other personal financial information and documents is the best thing that you can do to guard against a personal cyber attack.

Government Websites

Believe it or not, government websites are just as vulnerable to cyber attack as any other website. Most federal sites have strong lines of protection and multiple levels of checks in place to make it harder than ever to be hacked. The issue is that not every.gov website can afford stellar security systems. Many local government sites have little to no security and are maintained by volunteers or staff that have not been trailed in computer and IT security. This is a problem because if someone hacked into the local fire department, police, or sheriff’s systems they could seriously disrupt communications and the ability of these groups to serve and help protect the community. Ultimately the goal should be to increase the resiliency to any possible cyber attack and to work to reduce the places where these threats could come from. This is why looking into getting online identity fraud prevention or id theft insurance is a good line of defense, because no site is hack proof and no site is immune from the threat of a cyber attack.

Cyberspace, the information it contains, and the access it grants touches nearly every part of life as we know it today. It's because of the wireless, broadband, and local networks that our schools, police and firefighters, hospitals, government offices, businesses, and our power grids can operate. Classified files and information keep us safe as a nation. The World Wide Web connects us in a way that rivals any other time in human history. We all must do what we can to protect the information that keeps our country running and keeps us all safe from the threat of cyber attacks.

Amy Johnson is an active blogger who is fond of writing articles on Credit Protection and advising people to immediate steps by informing authorities if your card is lost or stolen. Follow her on Twitter to know more oncyber security a concern for America.