Innovation Brings Risk

Remember the “good old days” of about 25 years ago? Email had just taken off as a communications tool and the Internet was just around the corner. It was the dawn of a new age, sunshine and roses!

Then, came the issue of cybersecurity and it will be with us until we are dead and buried. The risks of technology, including the wonderful tool of social media makes us cringe when thinking about all the things that can go wrong in the operation of our critical infrastructure, down to the innocent teenager connecting with some 50 year old guy posing as a teen.

What made me think about this topic was an interview I did with the Seattle Times back in March, Washington state is no stranger to bridge disasters. In particular the quote I shared, “When they invented ships, they invented shipwrecks,” Holdeman said. So it is with everything we are dealing with today as it relates to technology. Every new innovation, for instance, the coming capability for cell phone coverage being provided by satellites. Great! But then, what new risks or hazards will come to the fore because of that new capability.