Given the growing importance of cyberspace to nearly all aspects of national life, a secure cyberspace is vitally important to the nation, but cyberspace is far from secure today. The United States faces the real risk that adversaries will exploit vulnerabilities in the nation's critical information systems, thereby causing considerable suffering and damage. Online e-commerce business, government agency files, and identity records are all potential security targets. Toward a Safer and More Secure Cyberspace examines these Internet security vulnerabilities and offers a strategy for future research aimed at countering cyber attacks. It also explores the nature of online threats and some of the reasons why past research for improving cybersecurity has had less impact than anticipated, and considers the human resource base needed to advance the cybersecurity research agenda. This book will be an invaluable resource for Internet security professionals, information technologists, policy makers, data stewards, e-commerce providers, consumer protection advocates, and others interested in digital security and safety. Table of ContentsFront MatterExecutive SummaryPart I Setting the Stage1 Introduction2 What Is at Stake?3 Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity PosturePart II An Illustrative Research Agenda4 Category 1 - Blocking and Limiting the Impact of Compromise5 Category 2 - Enabling Accountability6 Category 3 - Promoting Deployment7 Category 4 - Deterring Would-Be Attackers and Penalizing Attackers8 Category 5 - Illustrative Crosscutting Problem-Focused Research Areas9 Category 6 - Speculative ResearchPart III Conclusion10 Looking to the FutureAppendix A Committee and Staff BiographiesAppendix B Cybersecurity Reports and Policy: The Recent PastAppendix C Contributors to the Study