To reiterate: the incident involved the state’s ONLINE DRIVING EXAM SYSTEM. The remarks were made at a panel discussion at RSA earlier this month on state cybersecurity.

While we understand the need for a certain level of discreetness on cybersecurity topics, especially when they have to do with our government this incident was not a threat to America’s security or livelihood by any stretch.

It was nothing more than an embarrassing moment for the state of Pennsylvania.

But what has us extremely worried here has been the firing of Maley and the subsequent “lockdown” on talking about cybersecurity by state officials in PA.

Does a lack of dialogue surrounding cybersecurity really make businesses and government agencies a more secure place? In some instances, yes – let’s not advertise huge gaping holes in our government’s cyber network.

But in this situation, the answer is a surrounding NO. How are we going to fix the “gaping holes” if we simply ignore them?

What better opportunity to discuss the complex issues surrounding securing our businesses’ and government’s cyber infrastructure than with the non-life threatening example Maley brought up of the state’s online driving exam system?

By stifling the dialogue on the cybersecurity, Pennsylvania is doing businesses and internet users a disservice - and passing up an opportunity to educate the public on cybersecurity vulnerabilities and dangers. 7RF7P2NCE2QK