Earlier this week, The Atlantic’s Shane Harris reported on the 60 Minutes piece (mentioned in the previous post) highlighting cybersecurity issues facing the US. Harris’ piece provides a few telling quotes about the ramifications of prime time exposure for these issues: “For starters, millions of Americans now know that it’s possible to plunge a city into darkness via the Internet…But 60 Minutes has a unique ability to condense information and deliver it to a mass audience in prime time.”
In other words, a prime time television show has neatly packaged cybersecurity issues for the general public, making many more average citizens aware of government preparedness or inaction in this arena. Will this increased exposure place greater pressure on the President live up to his promise of naming a cybersecurity coordinator? It is unlikely that one broadcast can produce such a groundswell, but hopefully it helps fuel such a trend.
DHS has already established a new cybersecurity center; ideally, a specialized federal official with discretion over resources will not be far behind.
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