The Foreign Service Journal, September 2005

tence on requiring a token in addi- tion to passwords. “Defense in depth” includes those physical con- trols as well as management and procedural controls like good back- ground checks for employees. The Stakes Grow Higher The debate over access versus security will continue. And new problems will no doubt emerge, surely including some that we cannot anticipate. In the late 1990s, governments and private companies spent millions to mitigate problems arising from comput- er programs developed without calendar settings for 2000. Experts anticipated the obsolete code could produce fail- ures throughout the nation’s infrastructure in airports, dams and public services. The nation held its breath as the clock passed 12 a.m. on Dec. 31, 1999. And then the control centers slowly relaxed as the core systems kept humming along. The Y2K phenomenon was the disaster that did not occur, thanks perhaps to elaborate planning and precautions by legions of computer experts. But on May 4, 2000, the “I Love You” computer virus infected 60 million computers, causing an estimated $13 billion in economic damage and losses. Viruses and worms became routine on the Internet as hackers penetrated both commercial and gov- ernment systems. New challenges for cyber security emerge constantly as mobile computing, wireless connectivity and new devices from cell phones to smart appliances go on the Web. No one seems to be talking about any single Next Big Threat — at least not in the news media. But at the State Department, as elsewhere, the stakes grow larger every year. n F O C U S S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 5 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 57 Diplomatic Security is now developing a program that will penalize employee electronic infractions. Get Your Finances In Line With SDFCU Online You can depend on State Department Federal Credit Union for the ultimate in security and convenience with SDFCU Online banking. This FREE service allows you to access your Credit Union accounts via the Internet anytime, from anywhere in the world. Just go to www.sdfcu.org and click the SDFCU Online logo. You can conduct the following Credit Union business: Transfer funds between accounts Check current account balances View your account history over the last 15 months View check images View and pay your credit card bill online Pay Bills and much more!* See just how easy SDFCU Online is! Visit us at www.sdfcuonline.org and check out the easy demo! If you’re interested in becoming a member of State Department Federal Credit Union, give our Member Service Center a call at 703- 706-5000 , or outside the D.C. Metro area at 800-296-8882 . You can also email us at sdfcu@sdfcu.org . SDFCU Online puts us at your service, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, whenever you need us the most. Sign up today! *The Bill Payer service is available at no charge for Capital Club members. Otherwise, there is a low monthly fee of $3.95 for unlimited transactions.