Battlefield of cyber security
What should the US policy regarding cyber security look like?
Before that might become clear to everyone, a battle within the USG is taking place over who will be responsible for what as cyber security touches upon various aspects of US national security. Will DoD, DoC, DHS or a committee get it on their agenda? It gives power, but on the other hand a lot of responsibilities as well. Politics is a hard game.
Let’s go back to the concept of the term “cyber security” and what could have caused the sudden buzz of it. An interesting insight is giving by Nissenbaum (2005) in her article “Where computer security meets national security? Nissenbaum puts forward the difference between technical computer security and cyber security:“…The other [cyber security], more recent entry, focuses on collective and institutional systems, reflecting the influence of political and national security actors.”
A couple of years ago, the term cyber security wasn’t as big as it is right now. President Bush did not wanted to touch upon it (though he was forced to agree upon spending 30$ bln on CNCI).
The last years, the topic has gained more and more interest and has become part of the strategic list of not only the US but also the UK, EU etc.
Nissenbaum talking about cyber security (vs techn security):
“Why are the issues it raises matters of security and what are the sources of its
moral weight? The meaning of security is drawn not from ordinary usage but from usage developed in the specialized arena of national security. The difference, therefore, is not merely one of scope but of meaning.”
“To securitize an activity or state-of-affairs is to present it as an urgent, imminent, extensive, and existential threat to a significant collective.”
Bush has been able to execute many military actions and spend a lot of money after 9/11.
What has caused President Obama to suddenly put cyber security as the number 1 of spending areas and part of his strategic priorities?
More interesting: if the threat is perceived as presented above in the quote, would Obama or whatever dept, be able to get away with executing offensive cyber security strategies?