Preserving Innovation While Ensuring Security, Confidence in System

The Commerce Department's Internet Policy Taskforce on Wednesday will formally seek viewpoints from stakeholders on how best the public and private sector can preserve innovation in an Internet economy while ensuring security and confidence in the system.

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke unveiled the notice of inquiry at a symposium Tuesday on Internet security sponsored by the taskforce, where he also addressed departmental efforts to help build confidence in the Internet so that identity and personal information will be secured for consumers; intellectual property won't be stolen for businesses; and trade, technology and military secrets will be safe from adversaries for government.

"Let's be blunt - because the Internet was initially designed for convenience and reliability, instead of with security as a top priority - we are fighting an uphill battle," he said.

Citing a recent study published by IT security vendor Symantec, Locke painted a gloomy picture of Internet security, noting that malicious activity is increasingly flowing out of countries where broadband and information technology penetration is growing the fastest, advanced persistent threats focused on large enterprises are becoming more common as thieves seek customer data, financial information and intellectual property assets; and, mass-market attacks - those that small businesses and consumers usually fall prey to - continue to evolve in their sophistication.