U.S. Gov Official: Current Generation of Policymakers Lack Understanding of Technology

Dailytech ^ | - April 3, 2012 12:52 PM | Tiffany Kaiser

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Rose Gottemoeller said the next generation will change how cyber defense is handled

A U.S. government official said that cyber defense has been slow-moving due to the current generation of policymaker's lack of technological understanding.

Rose Gottemoeller, U.S. Acting Undersecretary for Arms Control and International Security, recently visited the Estonian IT College in Tallinn to deliver a speech about cyber attacks and defense. In this lecture, she noted that a major issue with current cyber defense is the fact that many policymakers around the world don't fully understand technology used today.

"The truth is there are a lot of senior officials in many countries who barely even know how to use an email," said Gottemoeller. "The change will come with the new generation."

Gottemoeller also mentioned that open-source IT and social networking should be integrated into arms control verification.

"In order to pursue the goal of a world free from nuclear weapons, we are going to have to think bigger and bolder," said Gottemoeller. "New concepts are not invented overnight, and we don't understand the full range of possibilities inherent in the information age, but we would be remiss if we did not start thinking about whether new technologies can augment over half a century of arms control negotiating expertise."

Cyber defense has been placed under the spotlight now more than ever with threats recently directed toward both government and corporate entities. Last year, a string of attacks pinpointed many victims like Sony, Bank of America, the Department of Justice, Lockheed Martin, and many more.

Many U.S. officials have called for more cyber defense transparency in the recent past between the government and private sector, where one could help the other and vice versa. For instance, both former CIA/NSA head Michael Hayden and ex-Marine Corps General James Cartwright agreed that cyber security threats are overclassified.

Source: Defense News

[allmost]

Facebook, myspace, every single email, should be suspect. If it's not then you are an idiot.

[Psycho_Bunny]

“the current generation of policymaker’s lack of technological understanding.”

If they know how to walk into the same room as a computer, they already have a better understanding of technology than they do of finances and debt management.

[BitWielder1]

U.S. Gov Official: Current Generation of Policymakers Lack Understanding

There, fixed it.

[Buckeye McFrog]

the very fact that this fellow seems to believe that “a world without nuclear weapons” is possible causes me to doubt his credibility

[allmost]

That’s the slight of hand or straw man bullshit. You just fell for.

[molson209]

still trying to understand the telephone and flight more like

[fishtank]

Here's a TRUE STORY.

Years ago, I was working as an intern on Capitol Hill for the House Science and Technology Committee.

I was asked to go over to a joint hearing with the House and the Senate on the Love Canal issues.

Halfway through, someone told me that I had to go out into the hearing room, and walk VERY quietly behind the senators and congressmen, and then sit down behind "Senator Foghorn", since he had a question.

So, I did it, and sat in a chair behind "Sen. Foghorn".

He then leaned back and very quietly asked me to tell him how to convert parts per billion of a chemical into parts per million of a chemical.

NO JOKE.

TRUE STORY.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

LOL!

Why not,...everyone else in the new society is mathematically challenged.

[itsahoot]

NO JOKE.

So what did you tell him? Just joshing ya

[BitWielder1]

A simple competence hearing and American Civics 101 for all elected officials, is that really asking too much?