Pr 891 p by The Public Record

T HE P UB L I C R E CO R D

WE ARE MOST VULNERABLE IN CYBER WAR

OPINION BY PETER RADATTI HE NEW Washington administration is talking about cyberwar. That is a very good thing for you. It is well past time that we do something to protect the average person from the potential effects of malicious cyberwar attacks. It won’t be easy. But if we never start, the results will be very bad. In the past, the federal government has talked about the dangers of cy-

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PUBLIC SERVANTS at WORK STUDENT RIDESHARE REVENUE $357,000

tate Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-W. Phila.) joined fellow lawmakers and officials from the School District of Philadelphia to announce the school district has received its first installment of state funding – more than $357,000 – as a result of a new state law regulating rideshare com-

berwar. It invested heavily in protecting the federal government from the results of cyberwar and invested in the ability to wage cyberwar. The countries and organizations that are at the top in the ability to wage cyberwar are the United States, China, Russia and the Russian Mafia. There is also activity within the Middle East and North Korea, but at a much less-destructive level than the top dogs. An up-and-comer soon may be the Mexican drug cartels. Protecting the federal government is easy compared to protecting individual citizens. It can be done. But it will be orders of magnitude harder. In addition, the countries that are at the top in cyberwar defense are totalitarian countries such as North Korea and China. North Korea doesn’t allow much access from the outside world and is

therefore mostly immune to our probes. China has a tight fist and complete control over the internet within their country. In the event of a war, they can protect themselves. The United States has several problems when it comes to defense. The first problem faced by the United State is the size of the problem. We are immense. In addition, the internet now controls a great deal of our lives. Most landbased phones are tied into the internet; hospitals move data over the internet; banks do customer transactions over the internet, including full access to bank accounts. Other things you would not expect to be online are actually connected to the internet. For example, large parts of the electrical grid and water pumps are connected to the internet for command and control. That

potentially means our electricity and water could be affected during a cyberwar. Most credit-card transactions go over the internet. That means stores may not be able to sell items except for cash. This will also affect bank branches, which may not be able to access their central computers to allow withdrawals along with ATM machines. Even if the banks don’t use the internet, they will not be able to keep up with the demand for cash. When was the last time you used cash at the supermarket or any of the stores you generally purchase at? If you didn’t say “today,” you may have a problem during a cyberwar. Cyberwar does not include the all-too-prevalent scams that are everywhere these days. Even with these exposures, you might think just turning off the computers or installing antivirus programs

will eliminate cyber attacks. That doesn’t work. The internet of things is now a major threat. Security cameras, laser printers, cell phones – these are all computers. Some refrigerators and a few cars are connected to the internet. Each one of these can be turned into a time bomb that can attack. In addition, if self-driving cars are connected to the internet in the future, they can be turned into weapons. Think of a car being directed to drive into people or a building at top speed. All of this means that even if we cut off our country from the rest of the world, our enemies will still have the ability to wreak havoc with our country’s infrastructure from the inside. (Peter V. Radatti is the president of CyberSoft Operating Corp., located in Conshohocken, Pa.)

panies in the City of Philadelphia and across the commonwealth. “This announcement is a result of a comprehensive effort to regulate rideshare companies statewide and ensure that they pay their fair share for conducting business in a major city,” said Hughes. “In just a short time, revenue has been generated that will directly benefit our schools. This funding is expected to continue to grow as rideshare companies become a more popular transportation choice for consumers, and that’s good news for our school children.”

Cephas said the task force will be designed to bring together local and state agencies, business owners and area residents that are immediately impacted by the operation of these establishments. “With the loosening of laws regarding liquor sales, businesses have greater opportunities to expand commerce and product lines, however, we are experiencing some unintended consequences of changing the laws,” Cephas said. She will host a community meeting Feb. 25 on Fire Safety and Prevention from 10 a.m. to noon at Freedom Christian Bible Fellowship, 6100 W. Columbia Ave. “West Philadelphia residents are speaking out with significant concerns and this a step in answering their call. This task force is a way to allow all stakeholders to be part of the solution. Throughout this process, I am prepared to go block by block to leave no stone unturned and no call unanswered to ensure

our community assets stay as such,” said Cephas. Members of the task force will be tasked with reporting and resolving complaints from residents, tracking and examining new license requests and transfers, and making longterm legislative and policy recommendations. In addition, Cephas, a member of the House Liquor Control Committee, plans to introduce several pieces of legislation that would strengthen current liquor laws by closing the loopholes associated with nuisance establishments. “This is an added opportunity to get ahead of the growing concerns and attack this issue head on,” Cephas said. “No single person or agency can work alone to address this issue – so much more can be accomplished by working together with a common goal to improve the quality of life for the residents and business owners of Wynnefield, Overbrook, Carroll Park and beyond.”

THOMAS HOSTS CITY JOB FAIR

CEPHAS TO STUDY NUISANCE SITES

State Rep. Morgan Cephas (D-W. Phila.) is launching a liquor-control task force to address growing concerns and issues that stem from nuisance establishments negatively impacting Philadelphia neighborhoods and commercial corridors.

Continuing his efforts to connect constituents with jobs, State Rep. W. Curtis Thomas (D-N. Phila.) holds a Public Sector Job Fair today. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23 at the former Wakisha School, 900 Jefferson Street. More than 25 employers from city, state and federal agencies have been invited to attend, and over 10 job-training opportunities will be featured at the event. There also will be workshops on job development and on expungement. In addition, the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Techmobile will also be onsite to assist attendees without a resume in developing one while at the event. Anyone interested in attending the workshops must register by contacting Sharon Stocker in Thomas’ office at (215) 560-3261 or at SStocker@pahouse.net.