Cybersecurity inaction favors the hackers: Column

Each day brings into sharper focus the depth of America's cyber insecurity. Most recently, news reports on the cyber-attacks on JP Morgan revealed that an estimated 76 million U.S. households and 7 million small businesses have been compromised by criminal syndicates. Chinese hackers abetted by the Beijing government and People's Liberation Army probe U.S. cyber networks every day, seeking not only to steal trade secrets and intellectual property, but also to uncover national security vulnerabilities. Meanwhile, insider threats pose risks to both public and private sector organizations.

A recent project we co-chaired at the Center for the Study of the Presidency & Congress, details the growing threat that cyber-attacks pose to the U.S. electrical grid. This report demonstrates how much-needed technological improvements to the grid, such as networked Smart Grid systems, can actually present new openings for cyber-attack.

The constant drumbeat of headlines makes it clear that perhaps the greatest vulnerability this nation faces lies in cyberspace. Some have warned of a "Cyber Pearl Harbor." But Pearl Harbor was a surprise. No one in business or government today can continue to plead surprise when it comes to the possibility of cyber attack. It is imperative that our political and private sector leaders work together to secure critical infrastructure and other networked systems from cyber-predators.

Some key actions have already been taken to address cybersecurity, including President Obama's executive order on cybersecurity, and the successful creation of entities such as the National Cybersecurity Communications Integration Center (NCCIC). Yet despite growing attacks on an increasingly vulnerable electrical grid, financial sector and other critical infrastructure, political deadlock prevents our government from taking needed action.

Pending legislation before Congress, for instance, would improve information-sharing between government and the private sector. This legislation would improve the ability of government and corporate America to communicate across a range of industries to identify cyber "threat signatures" and intelligence, information that is vital both in preventing a cyber-attack, and in mitigating an actual assault.

Like so much other important business, however, this legislation is a victim of our broken politics. Still, the House passed legislation in one of the most bipartisan votes of this deadlocked Congress, and there is Senate legislation moving towards the floor. For the sake of the nation's security it is imperative that Republicans and Democrats come together and offer bipartisan support for this important legislation.

The upcoming lame duck session offers a vital "window of opportunity" to move on this critical legislation. If not, legislation in the next Congress will be forced to largely start from scratch, wasting the rare bipartisan progress that has been recently made. Key leaders in the area of cybersecurity reform are leaving Congress, or moving to other committees. For instance, in the House key legislation has been shepherded by the bipartisan leadership of Michigan Republican Rep. Mike Rogers and Maryland Democrat Dutch Ruppersberger. Rep. Rogers will be leaving the House after this term and Rep. Ruppersburger's seat on the House Intelligence Committee is term-limited.

In the Senate, Senator Saxby Chambliss will retire, and he has worked closely with Chairman Dianne Feinstein on this legislation, as well as the issues of intelligence-gathering reform. If meaningful progress is not achieved during the lame duck session, a new cast of legislators will have to reset this critically needed legislation. Inaction favors the hackers. It is difficult to imagine anyone in Congress favors such an outcome.

We do not believe the nation has the luxury of more wasted time. Congress and the Obama administration need to pass key cyber reforms now, before it is too late.

Mack McLarty, White House chief of staff for President Bill Clinton, and Tom Ridge, secretary of Homeland Security for President George W. Bush are Trustees of the Center for the Study of the Presidency & Congress.

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