Why Isn’t Cyber Security A Main Priority To The U.S.?

Commentary by Antoine Layne. Image from Technology solutions.net

In 1997, Kevin David Mitnick, the most feared hacker in U.S. history, hacked Yahoo's website and displayed a message calling for his release while on the run from authorities. He had infected Yahoo's website with a computer worm that would cause havoc on Christmas Day unless he was left alone. Mitnick was infamous for 14 counts of wire fraud.

Every day, hackers such as Mitnick, target bank accounts, credit cards, computers, networks, and more. So how, as a “united” nation do we possibly defend ourselves from such grim attacks and threats? We do so by using cyber security, which is the art of protecting networks, devices, and data from unauthorized or criminal use and ensuring confidentiality, integrity and availability of information. 

I believe cybersecurity is crucial for society's well-being and tech privacy. Without it, fully developed countries are at risk. With technology advancing rapidly, especially with younger children being drawn to tech companies like Apple, society needs to be more aware of its vulnerabilities. Cybersecurity is important because hackers often target children, whose information is more valuable. And schools need to focus on teaching cybersecurity to the younger generation. It's unacceptable that 85% of schools in the U.S. refuse to teach cybersecurity.

I hope you are getting the gist of why cybersecurity is so important. I mention children due to the horrific fact that hackers often target children rather than adults because children's info is more valuable as hackers can threaten to publicly release a minor’s info. With cybersecurity, this sort of problem can be prevented.  I’ve explained why it is so important for America to promote a strong cyber security guard, but how can we possibly accomplish that if we aren’t even implanting such knowledge into the younger and upcoming generation? I believe that public schools around the nation at large need to start focusing on this subject of teaching. 

In 2015, 191 million American citizens were hacked, and unfortunately, records were leaked. How as a nation did we let this occur?  This wouldn’t have occurred if cyber security had been in place. Cyber security is a crucial skill in today's advancing world and it should be met with gravity and gratitude as if it were any other school subject, just as the government would implement math, ELA, and science. The U.S. certainly has higher expectations, but lack of knowledge such as cyber security hidden from the young shouldn’t be the American mission. 

In conclusion, as a community, team, nation, and a people, we need to ensure that our cyber security is top-notch. Otherwise, we could fall.

Antoine Layne is a freshman at Friendship Collegiate High School.