China is a big asset in international outsourcing. Many countries rely on them for low cost and quality production of products sold all over the world. In June of this year they instituted a new cybersecurity law that foreign companies are greatly worried about. This law has caused operating costs to grow significantly. “Under the controversial new law, “operators of critical information infrastructure” must store personal information and important business data in China, provide unspecified “technical support” to security agencies and pass national security reviews. Those critical areas include information services, transport and finance. Companies that store or provide internet data overseas without approval can have their business suspended or shut down and their business license revoked” (SCMP, 2018). Another concern is that companies could be required to provide source codes, encryption or private information to the authorities which could put them at even more risk for criminal attacks. Unfortunately, it is still not clear how to apply for or information on how to gain approval at this point, causing companies to worry about the near future for their operations in China.
“South Korea recognizes that cyber-security is a matter of national security. South Korea is a prime target for cyber-attacks, due to the country’s high network connectedness, advanced use of mobile devices, and significant intellectual property” (export, 2017). South Korea is vulnerable to cyber-attacks due to its insecure infrastructure. While it does have the world’s fastest mobile IT infrastructures, it is not keeping up with its security needs. Over the last several years they have been improving and trying to increase security especially because of several cyber-attacks that garnered a lot of attention. ‘The cyber-attack on a Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) plant in 2014 and when hackers previously targeted government agencies in South Korea, which compromised sensitive information and endangered the welfare of government officials and civilian employees were two such instances” (export, 2107). South Koreas is aware and acknowledges the importance of cybersecurity not only for their own nation, but for others as well as they try to keep up their expansion in technology.
While we can see the necessity for countries to protect themselves from outside attackers, we can also see that they may also need to protect themselves from other countries. “In July of 2017, Russia launched a cyber-attack on the Ukraine, which affected many other countries. The act in question was the malware attack known as NotPetya that wiped out billions of dollars as it spread across 64 countries in July 2017. The attack spread to Europe and the U.S., wreaking havoc on businesses including banks, shipping ports, law firms, transportation networks and government agencies in what’s been considered the costliest cyber-attack in history. It affected more than 80 companies in Russia and Ukraine and thousands of systems internationally causing billions of dollars in damage” (Turak, 2018).
In the United States on May 15, 2018 the Department of Homeland Security released a plan to give the Department a framework for the next five years to try to stay on target with our cybersecurity processes. Realizing the risk of cyberattacks on our systems, they are looking for ways to strengthen our networks, reducing our weaknesses and making our cyber ecosystem more secure and better able to resist attacks. DHS set the following guiding principles to achieve their goal:
1. Risk prioritization. The foremost responsibility of DHS is to safeguard the American people and we must prioritize our efforts to focus on systemic risks and the greatest cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities faced by the American people and our homeland.
2. Cost-effectiveness. Cyberspace is highly complex and DHS efforts to increase cybersecurity must be continuously evaluated and reprioritized to ensure the best results for investments made.
3. Innovation and agility. Cyberspace is an evolving domain with emergent risks. Although the proliferation of technology leads to new risks, it also provides an opportunity for innovation. DHS must lead by example in researching, developing, adapting, and employing cutting-edge cybersecurity capabilities and remain agile in its efforts to keep up with evolving threats and technologies.
4. Collaboration. The growth and development of the Internet has been primarily driven by the private sector and the security of cyberspace is an inherently cross-cutting challenge. To accomplish our cybersecurity goals, we must work in a collaborative manner across our components and with other federal and nonfederal partners.
5. Global approach. Robust international engagement and collaboration is required to accomplish our national cybersecurity goals. DHS must engage internationally to manage global cyber risks, respond to worldwide incidents, and disrupt growing transnational cyber threats as well as encourage other nations and foreign entities to adopt the policies necessary to create an open, interoperable, secure, and reliable Internet.
6. Balanced equities. Cyberspace empowers people and enables prosperity worldwide. Cybersecurity is not an end unto itself, and efforts to mitigate cybersecurity risks must also support international commerce, strengthen international security, and foster free expression and innovation.
7. National values. DHS must uphold privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties in accordance with applicable law and policy” (Homeland Security, 2018).
