Cybersecurity: Public Sector Threats and Responses
Cybersecurity: Public Sector Threats and Responses. By Kim Andreasson. CRC Press, www.crcpress.com; 392 pages; $62.95.
One of the myriad benefits of the Internet has been the increase in efficiency and speed of communications. What used to take days and weeks to transmit can now be sent instantly with Facebook, e-mail, Twitter, and the like. In Cybersecurity: Public Sector Threats and Responses, author Kim Andreasson provides an overview of how government agencies and other public-sector groups can use the Internet without introducing unnecessary risks to their constituents.
The book recognizes that the Internet has rapidly changed the way the public sector interacts with citizens. The quick ramp-up to Internet connectivity has led many public sector agencies to give short shrift to the issues of security and privacy. This work provides a high-level overview of security trends surrounding the effort to make government more connected, taking a broad approach with a heavy international focus. Numerous case studies demonstrate how agencies worldwide have dealt with the threats and vulnerabilities involved in moving to an e-government mode.
One challenge that governments face is that they often move at a snail’s pace, while security threats move substantially more quickly.
For those who need a highly detailed approach to cybersecurity in the public sector, this may not be the best title. But for those seeking a broad overview of the topic, it is a good starting point.
Reviewer: Ben Rothke, CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional), is an information security manager with Wyndham Worldwide Corporation. The views expressed are his own.
