Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla) has urged the federal government to first safeguard its information technology networks from cyber attacks before proposing cybersecurity measures for the private sector, Federal Times reported Wednesday.Andy Medici writes Coburn, a ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released a report citing cyber attacks the U.S. government has sustained in recent years.
The report indicates that the government could have prevented the attacks on several agencies such as the Emergency Broadcast System within the Federal Communications Commission, the National Institute of Standards Technology and the Energy Department, Federal Times reports.
“As we move forward on this national strategy to boost the cybersecurity of our nation’s critical infrastructure, we cannot overlook the critical roles played by many government operations and the dangerous vulnerabilities which persist in their information systems,†Coburn’s report says.
Medici writes that the report recommends updating security and software tools, implementing complex passwords and encryption systems and refraining from visiting malicious websites.
