On the recordApril 25, 2012
The Government Accountability Office says that cyberattacks have grown by 650 percent in 5 years and that the annual cost of these attacks is estimated to be $388 billion. Allowing these trends to proliferate is bad for job creation, consumer protection, and the future of the Internet, whose future success will greatly depend on improving user trust and security online. The U.S.-driven digital revolution has created countless opportunities, freedoms, and economies of scale. We're the envy of the world in that regard. This revolution is continuing to be driven by information and data. Data is really the natural resource that will power our Nation's future, but only if we safeguard it appropriately. Your online presence and digital diaries are what I like to refer to as the ``virtual you.'' It's consistently growing and expanding as individuals and businesses operate online. We need to have the certainty that we can freely continue our business online without virtual Peeping Toms and digital thieves enjoying total, uncontrolled access on the online ecosystem. That's why I was troubled to read an article in Politico yesterday titled ``White House Avoids Specific Positions on Cybersecurity Bills.'' We're being attacked by cybersnoopers and state sponsors of cyberespionage like China, Russia, and Iran. But the White House is throwing its hands up in the air, unwilling to lead.…





