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Are hackers part of the solution to growing cyber attacks?

Posted at 6:33 PM, Jun 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-28 18:33:50-04

Computers around the world are still crippled Wednesday after yet another major cyber attack.

The attack affected 65 countries, countless industries and governments including here in the United States.

In what appears to be a separate incident, over the weekend, state government websites in Ohio, Maryland, New York and Washington state were hit. Some were taken over by ISIS messages.

Last month yet another cyber attack infected computers around the world, but a hacker was able to find the so-called "kill switch" which mostly neutralized it.

"It's time to stop having the IT guy work these problems," said Charles Tendell, a cyber security expert, podcast host, and Certified Ethical Hacker.

Tendell says companies and governments need to invest in their own hackers to test and protect their systems if they ever want to get ahead of cyber attacks.

"They're just going to get worse and we have to stop being afraid of hiring hackers," he said. "Encouraging these people to come forward and actually present themselves and their information and knowledge at the table is going to help in more ways than any legislation or any conversation we can throw at this industry."

Even leaders of NATO now say cyber attacks should be considered similar to military threats to member countries.

Tendell says companies and governments are slowly starting to hire their own hackers.

"The only way this is going to work is if we start burning this candle at both ends."