Coviello: Feds must take security lead

The government must lead by example when it comes to online security and privacy, RSA Security Inc.’s Art Coviello told the Congressional Internet Caucus this month.“You can’t let agencies continue to get failing grades for computer security,” said the president and CEO of the Bedford, Mass., encryption vendor. Instead, he urged Congress to fund agencies’ IT security as a matter of course.“We must rule Internet technology, not let it take advantage of us,” he said. “Don’t rush to regulation or legislation—the technology is moving too fast. Regulations should be general enough not to become obsolete quickly but still have teeth.”Instead of passing new laws, he said, Congress should extend existing legislation such as the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley Act. He called the law “wonderful, though painful and expensive,” because its emphasis on internal controls has made his company more efficient and effective.