Political Quotes

“I rise with deep sadness to remember a luminary in the field of cybersecurity. Michael Assante passed away last Friday. The many tributes that have poured in from people in the ICS security community are a testament to his pioneering work and his kind soul. I, too, have been touched by Mike's work. Mike and his colleagues at Idaho National Laboratory first briefed me many years ago on the Aurora vulnerability that showed how a bad actor could use malware to cause physical damage to the electric grid and potentially knock out power to millions. That brief first piqued my interest in cybersecurity and led to my cofounding the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus with Congressman McCaul. Mike was many things--a brilliant researcher, a loving husband, a ferocious fighter of the cancer that eventually claimed his life--but I will always remember him, as will so many who went through his SANS Institute courses, as an educator. I cherished my time with Mike because I knew he would help me understand how Congress could better secure the operational technology underlying our daily lives. Michael Assante made a difference. He can never be replaced, but I will continue to honor his legacy by fighting to improve our Nation's cybersecurity. ____________________”