We hear in the news about hacking of elections, and voter data.
I always wonder why those in government use the internet when
they could use private networks to control systems and valuable
data.
A network that is totally isolated from the internet, would require
inside help to hack. Government networks shouldn't even use the
same protocol that the world internet uses. That along with hard
encryption should make hacking very difficult. They could even require
specially designed computers for the private networks. That way the
data wouldn't even work on a standard computer.
The other problem of people carrying valuable data in computers
needs laws requiring large fines for people who take data outside
of approved areas.
They could have non software encryption setups for the servers
and computers that talk to them. This way the encryption protocols
could be changed often.
I am not saying it would make it impossible to hack, because
almost anything can be broken into. This would make it much
harder to do, and not cost a great deal. The internet is a great
resource, but using it to control or handle valuable data is asking
for trouble. I know most large businesses use internal networks
but they still have interfaces to the world wide web, and they use
standard computer systems that once accessed can be sifted through.
I really don't know other than listening to those who wish to sell
standard systems why they don't harden their networks, and isolate
them with non standard systems.
Now I am sure some government systems are well protected, but
it's time local and state governments do the same. Data transfers can
run on private phone lines instead of the internet. A bit slower I am
sure, but safer.
If we just depend on anti virus software alone we will continue to have
hacking problems with foreign governments. Not counting the people that
live to break in computer systems.
I hope people with better ideas than mine are working to make our lives
more secure, but I fear most will go the cheap and simple way that isn't
secure.
