United we stand, at least on the issue of making the Internet more secure, preventing identity theft and the proliferation of spyware, according to findings in a survey published last week by the Cyber Security Industry Alliance, an Internet security policy advocacy group. According to the survey, both Republicans and Democrats agree that the federal government needs to do more to protect consumers on the Internet.

The survey of 1,003 likely voters conducted by the CSIA asked respondents if they thought the federal government was putting proper emphasis on cybersecurity, whether the states or the federal government should enact legislation to deal with the issues of identity theft and spyware, and what the focus of the new legislation should be.

The survey found there was broad consensus on the government being more involved in the safety of the Internet. Only 21 percent of voters thought market forces in the private sector would be sufficient to keep the Internet safe. The majority of voters surveyed believed the U.S. government needs to make protecting the nation's information systems a higher priority, with only 28 percent responding that the government was placing the correct emphasis on protecting the nation's information systems and networks.

Sixty percent of voters believed that "Only the U.S. Congress should create the laws that protect privacy on the Internet so that consumers and in every state have the same protection and businesses don't have to raise prices to design different products for every state."

Voters liked any law that that sounded as though it would deal with spyware; however, a law that focused on enforcement rather than imposing disclosure requirements or a technical solution was preferred.

As part of the survey, respondents were asked to identify what they thought was the greater threat to Internet security. According to the survey, voters identified "small time con artists and delinquent teenagers" as the greatest threat (45 percent of respondents) to the Internet while enemy nations, organized crime and terrorists were seen as a lesser threat.
"Keeping the Internet a place where consumers feel confident doing business can only be achieved through a coordinated, comprehensive approach that includes tough punishment through better laws, high security standards from companies, partnership with consumer groups, and protection for consumers nationwide," Paul Kurtz, executive director of CSIA said.

"Voters are looking to government for more leadership and accountability on cyber security issues," Kurtz said. "We must be careful about the public policy course we chart in the next few years. When legislation is deemed necessary, such as in the case of securing personal information, Congress should not duplicate existing requirements, but should address 'gaps' in existing law and encourage the adoption of widely accepted cyber security standards." KW