ACM U.S. Public Policy Council Releases Guidance on Computing and Network Security
The ACM U.S. Public Policy Council issued a set of guidelines for organizations to protect the security of their computing and network systems. In its Statement on Computing and Network Security, the Council identified nine principles that entities should follow to protect their systems from threats. The group highlights the need for robust protections to secure computing and network systems and proposes that these recommendations be adopted going forward.
Society is dependent on computing and network systems. The reliability and robustness of computing and network systems is an integral part of continued trust and innovation of the digital ecosystem. The interconnectedness of these systems has enabled a world of opportunity for discovery and innovation. At the same time, it has opened the door to myriad threats.
As computing and network systems mature, evolve, and adopt greater value, malicious actors have done the same. Securing the landscape is essential, and entities need to proactively address this ongoing challenge.
“The benefits afforded by computing and networked systems can be partially vitiated by risks to those systems. To fully reap the benefits, it is vital to properly secure systems and protect them from threats,” said Stuart Shapiro, Chair of the ACM U.S. Public Policy Council.
Computing and network systems are increasingly intertwined with society. The scale of adverse consequences has increased with this integration. “Consequences of vulnerable computing and network systems can range from inconvenient to devastating. In the constantly evolving landscape of cyber threats, organizations must prepare to deal with all the possibilities,” said Jeremy Epstein, Vice Chair of the ACM U.S. Public Policy Council.
The Statement on Computing and Network Security is the second in a series of publicly-released policy statements by the Council. An upcoming statement will address the privacy and security of the Internet of Things.
About the ACM U.S. Public Policy Council
These comments were developed by the ACM U.S. Public Policy Council, which serves as the focal point for ACM’s interaction with the U.S. government on U.S. public policies related to information technology. The membership of the ACM U.S. Public Policy Council is comprised of computer scientists, educators, researchers, and other technology professionals. ACM U.S. Public Policy Council comments and statements represent the views of the Council and do not necessarily represent the views of the Association.