Position Paper #2 - Cybersecurity

    With all the new technology and ways in which we use technology, there is always room for amazing new things to see and learn about, but also bad comes with that as well. Advancement in the good parts of technology also means advanced ways in which you could be a victim of breaches or theft in the technology world. Cybersecurity is all about protecting computers, networks, and information from bad people who try to steal or damage them. It includes using tools like firewalls, passwords, and encryption to keep things safe. As technology changes, so do the tricks that hackers use, so cybersecurity needs to keep improving to stay ahead. It's important for everyone, from regular people to businesses and governments, to protect themselves from threats like hacking and viruses.

    Looking into new ways that are being taken against these threats, I came upon the Federal Communications Commission. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is a government agency that makes sure people can communicate easily and safely. They manage things like TV, radio, phone services, and the internet. The FCC helps decide how these services work, making rules to keep things fair and make sure companies don't take advantage of people. They also work on making sure everyone has access to good communication services, no matter where they live. Basically, the FCC keeps everything connected and running smoothly.

    The FCC’s Privacy and Data Protection Task Force is a dedicated team within the FCC, headed by Loyaan A. Egal, the Chief of the Enforcement Bureau. This group collaborates across the agency to address rulemaking, enforcement, and public awareness related to privacy and data protection. Their focus includes issues like data breaches, particularly those affecting telecommunications providers, as well as vulnerabilities linked to third-party vendors that work with regulated communications providers.

The FCC's Robocall and Response Team 

    The FCC’s Robocall Response Team is a group of experts working together to fight against illegal robocalls, spoofing, and fake text messages. The team includes people with different skills like lawyers, engineers, and consumer experts to help stop these problems. Stopping robocalls and fake caller IDs is really important to the FCC. They’ve come up with rules and taken action to make sure people aren’t tricked by these calls. One of the ways they’re doing this is by using a system called STIR/SHAKEN, which helps prove that calls are actually from the real person they say they are. 

The FCC is also focusing on scam text messages, which have become a bigger problem. They’re taking big steps to protect people from these scams and make sure everyone is safer from this growing issue.

AI Attacks 

    The FCC has implemented many ways as to how they are trying to help people not get attacked by AI. They are taking action against illegal robocallers by imposing fines amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars, enabling phone companies to automatically block illegal or unwanted calls using smart call analytics before they reach users, providing consumers with options to block calls from any number not saved in their contact list or other approved lists, mandating phone companies to adopt caller ID authentication to combat illegal spoofing, instructing gateway providers to close off access points for international illegal robocall traffic, and making consumer complaint data accessible to enhance call blocking and labeling technologies.  

FCC Success

    Over the years, the FCC has had major success. They have been able to create universal service, making sure everyone can access phone services, even in hard-to-reach places, by implementing policies that aim to provide affordable phone service for all. They were able to provide broadband expansion promoting the development of fast internet access throughout the nation, with a focus on closing the digital gap in rural communities. They raised significant funds for the government by auctioning off radio frequencies used for different communication services. They also compete with other telecom companies, which helps to lower prices and improve service quality for customers, and lastly, they address problems like robocalls and caller ID spoofing to safeguard consumers. Which, to me, is very important because those happen on a daily basis. 

    Palo Alto Networks is a company dedicated to safeguarding businesses and organizations against cyber threats. They develop products designed to secure networks, computers, and data from hackers and various online dangers. Palo helps over 80,000 enterprise customers. 

What Palo Alto Offers 

    Their main offerings include very strong firewalls that prevent harmful traffic from entering a network, effectively keeping hackers and malware at bay. Additionally, they provide tools to protect data and applications stored in the cloud, which is increasingly where businesses keep their information. Palo Alto Networks assists organizations in identifying threats like viruses, ransomware, and phishing attempts, allowing them to neutralize these risks before any harm is done. They also offer software that secures devices such as laptops and smartphones from hacking and malware infections. Utilizing advanced technology like artificial intelligence, they can automatically detect and resolve security issues, enabling businesses to react more swiftly to potential threats. Furthermore, they ensure that only authorized individuals can access sensitive information, blocking unauthorized users from gaining entry.

How Palo Alto is utilizing AI

    Palo Alto uses AI in many ways. 1. Embedding Precision AI across their Portfolio. "Only AI security powered by Precision AI can detect and prevent the acceleration of polymorphic threats." 2. Securing AI by Design, "Secure your organization's GenAI usage and AI-powered application development. Get visibility, control and protection specific to AI, including preventing prompt injection attacks. 3. Radically Simplifying Cybersecurity, "Cut down on complexity within intuitive AI-driven platforms. Our new security copilots deliver instant solutions to complex problems and actionable insights to guide you through recommendations step by step." 

Products 

    Palo has products for users. Precision AI leverages information from the cloud, endpoints, and networks to enhance and automate cybersecurity. It identifies, stops, and addresses alerts instantly.

Conclusion 

    I personally have never had any trouble with cyber attacks. From a young age, my mom taught me how important it was to keep my information safe. I believe both of these sources are a major help to Americans everywhere all the time. While Palo Alto focuses on protecting companies, the FCC works to keep regular people safe from phone and internet scams. Both are important for making sure we’re all safe online.