Commerce Sec. Locke: “The government is not in a position to engineer precise technology solutions”
Gary Locke
Earlier this week, the White House held a high-level meeting with government and private sector officials to discuss the progress the administration has made regarding cybersecurity. The meeting, chaired by White House Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard Schmidt, included DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke.
The meeting focused on private-public partnerships in order to enhance U.S. cybersecurity.
“[The] forum is emblematic of this improved public-private sector cooperation,” Locke said in a statement. “It can’t be any other way. The private sector owns and operates the vast majority of the Internet’s infrastructure, and it develops the applications and services that move commerce along atop of that infrastructure.”
The government has a responsibility to develop sound policy while the private sector is responsible for innovative solutions, according to Locke.
“The government is not in a position to engineer precise technology solutions,” he said. “What government can and must do is to: provide a policy framework for innovation; and to help set the standards and rules of the road that will enable us to strengthen the connective tissue of the Internet.”
The Commerce Secretary went on to outline the work the department is doing to provide better security for U.S. networks.
“The Commerce Department — working closely with our colleagues throughout the administration and in the private sector — is making significant progress in helping the Internet become more robust and secure,” he said.
Commerce has also worked with the NSA to develop standardized cybersecurity controls across the government and are working with DoD to provide supply chain management. Locke also focused on the need to promote public-private partnerships rather than fostering the myth that business and government are at odds with each other.
“We want to discuss the best ideas from the public and private sector on how we can help make the Internet more robust, and more secure while preserving its role as one of the greatest engines for economic growth in America,” Locke said.
Related posts:
