In this digital age, information is stored and shared on a variety of channels. As such, data has become more and more vulnerable to threats from hackers and cybercriminals and law enforcement in the U.S. and around the world has struggled to keep up. What's worse, it isn't just individuals' accounts that are at risk – like bank numbers, health records, and so on. In fact, classified government information and U.S. officials' records are at risk of exposure by unwanted hackers.
When it comes to digital security, government bodies should look to data centers that use biometric access control as an example of how to shore up their defenses. These server cabinet warehouses rely on unique physical characteristics like fingerprints as means of gaining security clearance, rather than traditional methods like pass codes or key fobs. Through the use of biometric technology, data centers have managed to minimize the instances of breaches by leveraging protection from the front door to the server cabinet.
Defense secretary candidate big on cybersecurity
President Obama will likely nominate longtime Pentagon employee and former deputy secretary of defense Ashton Carter as the new U.S. Defense Secretary, according to the Washington Post. The move would signal a focus on cyberthreats, as Carter is known for his influence on the U.S. Cyber Command and support of government cybersecurity spending.
"It's a new field of warfare," Carter explained to the Washington Post, while underlying the Pentagon's cautious approach. "Obviously, we want to do things as we try always to do, in a way that is lawful and in a way that our population can support and is consistent with our values."
While hackers do pose a legitimate threat to data security, the Pentagon could use high-security data centers as fortresses for its most precious information. The use of biometric security along with armed guards and surveillance systems would create an impregnable stronghold to keep America's data safe.
Foreign spies threaten government employee data
Several high profile government agencies like the White House and State Department email systems have been breached recently and staff members' accounts have been at risk, according to WTOP of Washington. The new National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) warned that foreign intelligence agencies are acting against the U.S. to obtain employee information. Specifically, the entities have made an effort to recruit American government employees as spies.
NCSC Director William Evanina revealed that his primary concern is not rooted in the breaches that have already occurred.
"My biggest fear is what we don't know. We've identified these intrusions, but what intrusions have we not identified," Evanina explained to WTOP. "I think their concerns are not only what are we losing from exfiltration, but how do we stop it. Also, why would Country X really want to know the [personally identifiable information] from our government employees."
With questions mounting and cyber attacks increasing, government agencies need to seek other ways to protect their data and their employees' accounts. Biometrics could offer a solution – by housing data in a center outfitted with the best security systems available, U.S. government organizations could prevent the wrong people from gaining access.