Securing Government Transparency: Cybersecurity Policy Issues in a Gov 2.0 Environment and Beyond

This chapter focuses on cybersecurity policy issues related specifically to efforts by governments and public agencies at the local level to become more transparent through the use of Web 2.0 tools and implementation of open data/open government initiatives. The cybersecurity risks in Gov 2.0 also cannot be focalized into one type of concern or category. A large area of cybersecurity vulnerability revolves around what is known as “social engineering.” Symantec, a global leader in security, makes the case in its annual security threat report that the increasing adoption of social media by government agencies increases the risk of cyber attack. Cybersecurity threats are on the rise, and all predictions point to their increasing frequency and levels of sophistication. Web applications have posed serious security vulnerabilities for public agencies for some time, especially with the rise of e-government services over the past five to ten years.