Even if it wasn’t Russia that hacked the DNC (and the voter registration databases, and now VR Systems), we still have to take this shit seriously. Maybe it was the DPRK, maybe it was China, hell maybe it was ISIS. Hacking is the ultimate form of assymmetric warfare.
But whoever it was this time, it could be someone else next time.
Split the NSA into two agencies - one purely focused on defense and the other on offense. Right now the dual-nature of their mission means their desire to preserve offensive capabilities causes them to hold back on disseminating information that would help harden both civilian and government systems for fear that foreign systems would be hardened too. I say that’s short-sighted. The west has the most to lose because we are on top right now, we need to start putting defensive capabilities first.
