This piece originally appeared in C4ISRNET.
Ships and telecommunications networks employ technologies that are vulnerable to cyberattack. The U.S. and EU attempt to enforce rules to regulate business practices and prevent misbehavior from adversarial foreign entities. With some efforts stymied because of legislative loopholes and court challenges, some U.S. and EU policymakers respond by increasing regulatory burdens on domestic entities.
Section 214 designation on U.S. broadband providers and the complex burden of proof for EU shipbuilders to prove dumping by foreign firms provide policymakers with the satisfaction of the political appearance of national security, but the policies themselves do not necessarily protect people, enterprises, or property.
Indeed, pursuing such policies may reduce national security by diverting resources from legitimate activities to secure networks and systems.
