Cybersecurity’s #SOTU moment

Cybersecurity’s State of the Union moment arrived last week.
Technical.ly Baltimore wasn’t alone in reporting on the President’s new cybersecurity proposal, and his embrace of elements that have long been contained in CISPA, a cybersecurity law long-championed by Maryland Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger. Everyone’s asking: Will the plan actually protect you? The Atlantic and Inc.com and even Gizmodo offer ways that the proposal might not end up being effective.
Despite the similarities, Ruppersberger’s spokeswoman told us that debate is likely to flare up in Congress. For their part, the White House isn’t publicly signaling that they’re into CISPA:

.@MCHadley We issued a veto threat on this which we still stand by. For more on cybersecurity: http://t.co/9pdiOBnUZl #AskTheWH

— E. Schultz -Archived (@Schultz44) January 21, 2015

A Sunday story from the Baltimore Sun’s Ian Duncan lays a local bedrock for the urgency of cybersecurity. From an Eastern Shore TV station to Zappos, the report shines a light on dozens of hacks last year in Maryland.
With the increased spotlight shining on the field, public television’s WGBH points out that cybersecurity firms are hiring. As a result, colleges aren’t far behind. The University of Maryland system is already invested with Maryland at College Park and UMBC. Last week, the system’s Baltimore-based Carey School of Law announced a new course track in cybersecurity law that “prepares students to lead their organizations in responding to natural and human-made disasters,” the school said in its announcement.