Top 10 GovCon Stories – #3
WikiLeaks
Summary
The leaking of sensitive government documents and spread of content online has renewed some emphasis on security and increased some restrictions on what government employees can view online at work, what people can access and how easy data can be transported and shared.
Why it matters to the GovCon space?
Written by: Jeff White, Founder of govWin
Once information makes its way into the public realm you cannot recall it. It will be accessible to everyone who wants it.
In the case of classified information from the United States, whether it’s the military or the Department of State, the information will spread farther and faster than almost anything else, and be sure to reach the people who are most hostile to our interests.
I think information that puts people in harm’s way and is classified should be contained in such a way with access and sharing controls. It also is important that all those people who choose to share classified materials be persecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
If there is one lesson for the government contracting community and the government as a whole, it is security of information requires constant vigilance. Businesses need to be certain they follow the toughest policies to ensure they protect information vital to our nation’s security and the safety of people in high risk positions. Failure to do so in the future, I believe, will face even more stringent repercussions than they do today. For the government, I think that the WikiLeaks fiasco demonstrates a lot of lax security procedures that need to be tightened and the need for more accountability. I believe that in 2011, security of classified materials will intensify and be something we all need to pay close attention to.
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