Chairman seeks "smart, practical" solutions

The FCC has called on Internet service providers and other companies to step up their efforts to protect users against cyber threats, namely botnets, domain name fraud, and IP hijacking. Commission chairman Julius Genachowski urges companies to take "concrete steps" to address the threats, which are said to pose a "critical threat" to the US economic future and national security.

The FCC estimates that an average of 8.4 million credit card numbers are obtained fraudulently every year, while three-quarters of small and medium businesses have been affected by cyber attacks.

"If we fail to tackle these challenges, we will pay the price in the form of diminished safety, lost privacy, lost jobs, and financial vulnerability -- billions of dollars potentially lost to digital criminals," Genachowski added.

The Commission suggests that many companies involved in the Internet industry will need to work together to address the security challenges. Genachowski recommends that ISPs adopt the DNSSEC system to help protect against fraud, while customers should receive help if their computers are used by a botnet.

"With all of the key stakeholders working together, I am confident we can make a real difference in increasing the security of the Internet and harnessing its enormous opportunities," Genachowski concluded.

By Electronista Staff