Policies for Protecting Digital America and Critical Infrastructure Industries Against 21st-Century Cyberattacks

Abstract

Cyberattacks are rapidly evolving into a more sophisticated means of assault against countries, organizations, and individuals. The rapidly growing capabilities of cyberattacks, which may be conducted by either domestic or foreign malicious actors, underscores the potential devastation to a targeted nation’s institutions and its people. These attacks can be deployed against critical industries to cripple a nation’s economy, infrastructure, and citizens. Such an attack against a foreign nation could represent an act of modern warfare that equivalates to the 20^th-century use of nuclear weapons. Therefore, to combat the potentially devastating cyberattacks of the 21^st century, the United States government must pursue cybersecurity policies to protect its critical infrastructure industries and national security. This study seeks to determine the most effective cybersecurity policy when comparing the implementation of a white-hat hacker U.S. task force, cybersecurity regulations on critical infrastructure industries, implementation of cybersecurity awareness curriculum in K-12 public schools, and the federal implementation of a digital consumer privacy protection law. Results show that significant cybersecurity regulations targeting critical infrastructure industries represent the best policy approach for protecting those industries.

Keywords: Digital America, Cybersecurity, Cyberattack, Critical Infrastructure Industries

DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/13-4-05

Publication date:June 30^th 2023