Analysts at the National Cybersecurity & Communications Integration Center keep tabs on America's digital infrastructure.

Discussion:  Foreign spies and organized criminals have access to virtually every companies’ network, which makes the issue of cyber security a national security issue.  Analysts agree that cyber criminals or terrorists have the capabilities to shut down the country’s financial, energy or communications infrastructure.  Much of our countries’ infrastructure is privately owned, making prevention and surveillance a logistical nightmare.  The Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Prevention Act, and bills like it, are trying to remedy the problem, and are currently up for debate in Congress.

Source:  CNN News

Date:  April 23, 2012

Link:  http://money.cnn.com/2012/04/23/technology/cybersecurity-bills/index.htm

Discussion Questions:

• Why would shutting down one of the countries’ critical infrastructures result in a ‘Digital Pearl Harbor’?
• How are recent bills proposed in Congress designed to prevent such a catastrophic event?