31st Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum – Cybersecurity
Dr.Paul Maurer emphasizes that cybersecurity is primarily a human and ethical challenge, not just a technical one. As president of Montreat College, he highlights the college’s leadership in cybersecurity education and its work with the National Security Agency to develop ethics training for cybersecurity professionals.
He argues that technology alone cannot protect systems ethical, well-trained people are essential. Cyber professionals hold sensitive financial, medical, and personal data, so trust, integrity, and responsible decision-making are critical. To address this, he co-developed a cybersecurity ethical framework and book, Code of Honor, outlining principles such as honesty, respect, accountability, collaboration, and protecting privacy.
Dr. Maurer stresses the urgency of this issue, noting that cybercrime costs an estimated $10 trillion annually, exceeding the combined cost of other major global crimes. He explains that ransomware attacks, especially against small businesses, hospitals, and critical infrastructure, can cause devastating financial and societal harm.
He concludes that governments and institutions must prioritize ethics education alongside technical training to build a trustworthy cybersecurity workforce capable of protecting national security, economic stability, and public trust.
