Are We Heading Into a Cyber "Cuban Missile Crisis" | Kathleen Kennedy Townsend | TEDxPacific Avenue
Drawing from her unique perspective as RFK's eldest child and President JFK's niece, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend parallels the dangers she witnessed firsthand—Senate Rackets Committee hearings, Mob threats, and the Cuban Missile Crisis—with today's critical software vulnerabilities.Our enemies can disable power grids, telecommunications, banking, hospitals, water systems, and breach military secrets through unsafe software. Yet unlike every other consumer product, software lacks safety requirements. We blame victims, forcing them to buy extra security while leaving Americans vulnerable to hackers, scammers, and foreign adversaries.With minimal regulation and weak consumer protections, our digital infrastructure remains dangerously exposed. Kathleen illuminates these hidden threats and champions the urgent need for secure software standards to protect "We The People" from 21st-century dangers that echo the threats her father fought 60 years ago. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend: KKT was Maryland's first woman's Lt Governor, and has served as Managing Director of Rock Creek, one of the largest women owned asset management firms in the country. She founded a Center on Retirement Security at Georgetown University and just recently served as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the Navy where she focused on shipyard and shipbuilding, particularly submarines and aircraft carriers. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
More from TED
- 12:58De Nouakchott au monde | Cheikhou Gandega | TEDxNouakchottDans son intervention De Nouakchott au monde, Cheikhou raconte un parcours inspirant qui relie ses racines locales à une ouverture internationale. Il nous montre comment une vision née dans les ruelles de Baydigame peut avoir un impact au-delà des frontières. Un témoignage motivant sur l’audace, l’ambition et la fierté d’appartenir à une culture.Expert en gouvernance publique et leadership stratégique, This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 11:01Roots to Remedies: My Path in Ayurveda | Dr. Sunit Kumar Mishra | TEDxModern School Noida YouthFrom a small village in Sitapur to the global stage, Dr. Sunit Kumar Mishra’s journey is a testament to perseverance, curiosity, and vision. In this talk, he shares how Ayurveda—often overlooked in modern medicine—can transform healthcare when approached with scientific rigor and innovation. Drawing from his two decades of research and global collaborations, Dr. Mishra explores how integrative medicine can tackle pressing health challenges, including drug-resistant infections, and create a sustainable, patient-centric future for healthcare. His story is not just about medicine—it’s about breaking barriers, challenging perceptions, and embracing the power of combining tradition with technology. Dr. Sunit Kumar Mishra is a distinguished Ayurvedic physician and Chief Consultant at King George's Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow. A Gold Medalist in BAMS and a PhD scholar specializing in herbal solutions for drug-resistant infections, he has been a pioneer in integrating Ayurveda with modern medicine.With over two decades of experience, Dr. Mishra has shared his research on prestigious platforms across Japan, Brazil, Mexico, Switzerland, Australia, and New Zealand, fostering a global dialogue that bridges ancient Indian wisdom with modern scientific innovation. He has led over 30 interdisciplinary research projects, published extensively in reputed journals, and is currently spearheading the establishment of a National AYUSH Research Centre at KGMU.Recipient of honors like the Health Icon Award and the Dhanwantari Award, Dr. Mishra continues to redefine the future of integrative medicine in India and beyond. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
