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Univ. and Senator Cardin Work to Better Cybersecurity

Published September 15, 2011

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Senator Benjamin Cardin (D — Md.)

By Maria Romas
Staff writer, UM NewsDesk
Published: Thursday, September 15, 2011

Identity theft, Internet bullying and privacy breaches are digital-age risks that state officials and university researchers are working to decrease in this state.

Amid a summer that saw multiple cybersecurity breaches — such as Citigroup bank and Bank of America — Senator Benjamin Cardin (D — Md.) is advocating for better Internet user protection to Congress. And the university is also working to strengthen barriers between hackers and private Internet users through the Maryland Cybersecurity Center, which announced a new partnership with a Massachusetts Institute of Technology laboratory last month.

The Center has become a national forerunner in cybersecurity and established multiple partnerships last year with other institutions including SAIC, Tenable Network Security, Google and Lockheed Martin, according to Associate Director Eric Chapman. The Center's research hopes to help mitigate security breaches and help with Cardin's main goal to protect the state's Internet users, according to Sue Walitsky, Cardin's National Communications Director.

If Cardin's legislation fostering government collaboration with private cybersecurity companies on the issue passes, these groups would eventually decide whether to mandate minimum security standards that protect Americans from cybercrime.

Because the state has one of the highest concentrations of cybersecurity jobs, Walitsky said it is only natural for Cardin to take a stand on the matter.

"Senator Cardin believes we can find a balance between keeping information flowing freely and keeping it safe," Walitsky said. "Free and open Internet gives a voice to people worldwide and needs to be protected from censorship. However, there are plenty of predators who want to exploit or compromise the information systems."

View full story at the UM NewsDesk

"Senator Cardin believes we can find a balance between keeping information flowing freely and keeping it safe. Free and open Internet gives a voice to people worldwide and needs to be protected from censorship. However, there are plenty of predators who want to exploit or compromise the information systems."

Sue Walitsky, Cardin's National Communications Director