Wanted: A Smokey Bear for cybersecurity

By Amber Corrin
FCW.com
Dec 02, 2009

Cybersecurity has become more than a homeland security issue; it has become a national lifestyle issue that hinges on raising education at the individual level, a panel of information security experts said today.

"If the U.S. is going to continue to be a center of innovation in the world, we need to up our game. and get on par with the science, engineering and technology schooling of China and India, according to Richard Schaffer, information assurance director at the National Security Agency.

"It's a U.S. problem; it.s a challenge that, [if left] unmet, is going to put us in a dangerous situation in 10 or 20 years when we can't afford to be in second place. We never want to be in second place,"
Schaffer added.

Beyond formal education, U.S. cybersecurity strategy needs to develop a public awareness campaign that permeates the workplace, schools and homes -- much like the development of Smokey Bear in the 1970s to promote fire safety, panelists said.

"This [campaign] needs to include secretaries, administrators, front-line people who have no idea [about technology and cyberspace] - not just front line cyber operators," said Adam Meyers, an SRA International information assurance principal who currently works with the State Department.