Small Businesses Vulnerable To Cybercrime
Cyber criminals are shifting their attention away from larger, more secure businesses to smaller more vulnerable businesses, according to federal authorities who testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee on Monday.
Michael Merritt, assistant director of the U.S. Secret Service’s office of investigations, told the panel that the organized groups of cybercriminals have transitioned away from larger businesses that have upped their security efforts.
“While cyber-criminals operate in a world without borders, the law enforcement community does not,” said Merritt.
“It is hard for Congress to implement that type of law overseas. It goes back to the personal and professional relationships we are able to establish with counterparts overseas.”
Independent Senator Joe Lieberman is expected to put forth new legislation this year that would create a standard of cyber security, which businesses would be required to meet.
“The bottom line is they are not doing enough, in my opinion,” Lieberman told reporters.
“An enemy could disable our country by hijacking its financial services networks “¦ the same goes for smart-grid networks. We’ve got to be bold.”
Lieberman has proposed that legislators “set minimum standards to require private-sector entities to follow to defend themselves against a cyber attack.”
"Securing the entrances of one’s factory or store is second nature to any business owner and so cyber security protections must become," deputy under secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, Phil Reitinger told witnesses.
"Security cannot be achieved by the government alone," said Lieberman.
"Public-private partnership is essential. Together, business, government, law enforcement, and our foreign allies must partner to mitigate these attacks and bring these criminals to justice."
—