Will cyber laws mitigate the threat?

News of successful cyberattacks have become all too common news items. Surprisingly, military and intelligence agencies from around the world have fallen victim to the innovative and creative attacks by those who lurk in the digital darkness. With the numerous successes, members of government around the world are getting fully involved now, but actions are slow. With the rate of cyberattack capabilities advancement government has to step up the pace.

On July 13, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) forcefully called for a Senate Select Committee to address the growing issue of cybersecurity and electronic intelligence leaks, and also the general problem of computer hackers. McCain is well known for proposing legislation to address the risks of cybersecurity and protect the critical infrastructure of the United States.

The United States is not alone. The European Union and Australia have a plethora of laws to address this threat. The Australian Parliament crafted laws that will allow their police and intelligence agencies to force telecommunications companies to keep sensitive information that was normally stored only briefly before being destroyed in an effort to aid in the difficult task of attribution.

Clearly this has become a priority for governments around the world; however, many countries suffer from the same problem. The piecemeal approach governments are taking in mandating action to improve cyber defenses wastes precious time and limits funding organizations have to expend on this problem. A comprehensive approach would be much more appropriate. Multiple cybersecurity practitioners in several countries have said too many nations are thinking too narrowly about cybersecurity. These nations need to collaborate with other countries on crafting global cyber regulation that addresses this pressing issue. We should not hold our breath. It is highly doubtful that the current state will change any time soon.