Steve Daines: “this generation is at the forefront of technological advances. In fact, it is making the United States and this…”

“this generation is at the forefront of technological advances. In fact, it is making the United States and this generation that lives here one of the best networked in history, in fact, not only here but around the world. The need for new and better technology to accommodate such a generation has also left a gaping hole in the security of our country. In recent years, cyber security attacks and breaches have multiplied and left American citizens incredibly vulnerable. Make no mistake, the cyber security of the United States is in great danger. But, unfortunately, proper precautions and reforms needed to set a better course have yet to be taken. Just look at last week's headlines. USA Today recently reported hackers have attempted to compromise the Department of Energy over 1,100 times between 2010 and 2014, and these attackers have been successful over 150 times. In a 2013 breach these attackers gained access to the information of over 104,000 Energy Department employees. After these attacks, the auditors noted ``unclear lines of responsibility'' and ``lack of awareness by responsible officials.'' Yet nothing was done to mitigate the potential for future attacks. Our government needs to stop being content with simply being reactive to serious cyber threats. There are no deterrents or consequences to these foreign attackers. Not one person at the Department of Energy has faced consequences.…”