Corporate Cybersecurity: The International Threat to Private Networks and How Regulations Can Mitigate It

As time goes on, the frequency of cyberattacks is worrisomely increasing. THere is a rise in cyber crime on both lower levels, where individuals seek to steal data from other individuals, as well as state sponsored cyber crime. This poses a huge issue to governments, as many opponents can turn to hacking as a tool for economic gain or to push political agendas, which has been seen in recent years. This risks not only the security of nations, but the data of private citizens, and the economy’s integrity. In the past, the United States has barely responded to foreign countries’ unlawful cyber security, with many gestures being almost entirely symbolic. This has resulted in the absence of any deterrence for countries interested in infiltrating the country’s data and systems.

In order to address this, a variety of lawmakers at different levels have passed incohesive laws in an attempt to strengthen cybersecurity practices. However, this disparate approach is largely unsuccessful, as it offers both conflicting and redundant advice. Additionally, these regulations have largely left cyber defense to the private sector, and lacks legal frameworks to ensure compliance. In this paper, we describe the motivations for hacking, and how a single, centralized, federal agency with authority over all cybersecurity regulations would be most effective in defending against potential cyberattacks.