Among security threats faced by the nation terrorism and cyberattacks by anonymous hackers are considered as most concerned events. Among these two threats, cyberattacks are costing the nation over $250 billion a year due to intellectual property losses of weapon design, losses of source codes, consumer data, cosmetic formula and many others. Nations critical infrastructure, including the power grid and gas pipelines, is facing daily attacks on their systems. Banks also have been a target lately denying access to customers as well as bank itself. The U.S. government is trying its best through talks and negotiations with suspected nations, increased cybersecurity and cyberespionage. In addition to the Federal government, companies alone are expected to spend more than $67 billion this year on data security.
Cybersecurity technology includes protection, detection and response. Protection involves firewalls and antivirus software. Detection involves combing through volumes of data to find suspicious behavior. Responses involves new concepts such as “sinkholing,” “sandboxing,” and quarantine. The Federal government operates undisclosed methods and technologies to combat cyberattacks. Symantec, Israel based Check Point Software Technologies, PwC, Booz Allen Hamilton, Raytheon, Fortinet, and SAIC Corp. is among the big names that provides cybersecurity to private companies as well as the U.S. government.