Do We Always Have to Lose?

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What is going on here? Could someone please tell me why our government is not taking action against these American companies that are leaving our identities at risk?

Were the hackers targeting my (and your) consumer data or all of Wall Street? This was not a home invasion (like what happened at Target and Home Depot) where the thieves break in and take the loot (in these cases, credit card numbers) and zip away. In this case, they (the hackers) retrieved 3 million business and personal accounts AND tried to penetrate the internal networks of JP Morgan Chase. And, they probably hit at least one other company through this invasion.

People like me have been complaining for years that our government is not developing standards insuring that those folks who demand our data keep it protected. Because it would cost business money to do so. Like the costs to our lives and families count for nothing.

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We don’t have systems like are required in Israel (which is building a force of 10,000 cyberwarriers in Beer Sheva [interestingly near Damona]); it already is almost overtaking the US i in cyber products and services (providing 5% of that $ 60 billion global market segment). We don’t train our students how to compete in these cyberwars. In the meantime, ISIS and al Qaeda are heavily recruiting (in my mind) naïve youngsters to join in their misguided jihads against Western Civilization and against those who follow a different version of Islam than they.

JPMorgan let the data from 76 million households and 7 million small business be compromised. This is not small potatoes. And, as I stated before, this breach let the hackers examine the defenses (sic) of other Wall Street institutions. And, how did they do it? It seems they hacked one employee’s computer- one with administrative rights to the network.

It makes no difference to me if the hacker was from China or Russia. In either case, those nations protect their hackers from prosecution. And, China actually employs their military in these attacks- and sets their targets at military equipment and proprietary corporate business knowledge.

There are no international standards (like our currency standards). It’s the Wild West out there. Or, maybe we should consider it more akin to the Cuban Missile Crisis, where the weapons to attack our institutions are right next door- since the internet has no boundaries.

I doubt we will be able to develop an international standard. Which means that our government must impose a standard on all entities that harbor data on our citizens. With financial repercussions for the breach.

While we are at it…Maybe we should prosecute those “pro-business” Senators and Congressfolks who are demanding that the government retract the provisions against Credit Suisse, which because of its infractions helping American citizens commit tax fraud, that denies their ability to manage some $ 8 billion in government employee pensions.

Because if we don’t, you can bet that cybersecurity will follow the same protocol. All talk, no action- and the average citizen takes it on the chin.

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2 thoughts on “Do We Always Have to Lose?”

  1. I sure so very little to be happy about in this article but sadly that is the way our government works these days. Everything is for sale to the persons/companies with the most loose cash. These companies have so much money they can hedge their bets by bribing both sides at the same time. Until that is stopped, we, the ones that use the products and elect the people in high government offices, will continue to take it on the chin.
    Chef William Chaney recently posted..Gluten-Free Tomato Soup

    1. Hear, hear, Chef William. Well said- and, unfortunately, true…
      We can’t seem to require business to spend money to protect the information that they are supposedly holding in trust for us… Instead, we pay twice.

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