Category Archives: National Cyber Director

US makes progress on improving cyber but key issues remain, congressional committee finds

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A congressional commission dedicated to shoring up America’s cyber defenses has made significant progress in the wake of multiple recent cybersecurity crises, according to a new report. Nearly 75% of the 82 recommendations made in the Cyberspace Solarium Commission’s March 2020 report, which set out to assess ways the U.S. can improve its digital resilience, have been implemented or are on track to be implemented, according to an evaluation released Thursday by the Commission. The report notes that some of this movement has been spurred by a wave of high profile cybersecurity incidents within the past year, starting with the revelation in December 2020 that Russian hackers had infiltated at least nine federal agencies using network management software SolarWinds. In March, apparent Chinese hackers exploited a vulnerability in Microsoft’s Exchange Server technology, affecting thousands of users. Multiple ransomware attacks have followed, including one against fuel provider Colonial Pipeline that forced […]

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What’s next for the National Cyber Director?

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By Jean Schaffer, Federal CTO, Corelight As the first National Cyber Director begins to settle into office, private industry is very hopeful that this will be one of the turning points to solidify a true private/public partnership for raising the cyber… Continue reading What’s next for the National Cyber Director?→

Chris Inglis confirmed as first US national cyber director after Senate vote

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The Senate on Thursday confirmed Chris Inglis as the new White House cyber czar, a role it enacted into law late last year. The new role will play a key part in coordinating the government response to major hacks and other cybersecurity threats. Inglis takes on the position as the U.S. has dealt with an onslaught of cybersecurity incidents, including ransomware attacks on Colonial Pipeline and meat supplier JBS. The national cyber director will also lead the implementation of cyber policy and strategy, including efforts mandated by the Biden administration to improve federal cybersecurity. Inglis will be expected to work closely with Anne Neuberger, deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technology on the National Security Council, as well as Jen Easterly, Biden’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security’s cybersecurity agency, should she also be confirmed by Congress. Inglis will also coordinate cooperation between the government and […]

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Biden budget seeks $750 million to respond to SolarWinds compromises, plus billions more for cyber

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President Joe Biden’s fiscal 2022 budget blueprint released Friday proposes $750 million for the federal government to respond to “lessons learned” from the SolarWinds supply chain hack that compromised nine agencies. In all, the budget proposes $9.8 billion in federal civilian cybersecurity funding, a 14% increase from the spending levels allocated for the current fiscal year, according to a summary. That number doesn’t take into account Defense Department funding requests, which would represent another large chunk of money, though that amount isn’t precisely spelled out in four documents shared Friday with reporters in advance of public release. “Cybersecurity is a top priority for this Administration, and recent events, such as the SolarWinds cyber incident, have shown that adversaries continue to target Federal systems,” one budget document reads. The blueprint also requests $15 million for the recently-created national cyber director office in the White House, and $20 million for a new […]

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Why the Biden administration needs a National Cyber Director more than ever

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As the Biden-Harris administration thinks about cyber appointments and cyber strategy for the first 100 days of the administration, appointing a National Cyber Director role requiring Senate confirmation is critical. The National Cyber Director will coordinate, support, and deconflict efforts on cyber, technology, and related issues led by executive branch agencies, engage the private sector to build trust and advance shared priorities, and represent the administration at home and abroad on cyber. The administration will face a number of cybersecurity and technology challenges upon entering the White House. Effective mobilization and coordination of the government, and engagement with industry and civil society requires a coordinated strategy led by an empowered National Cyber Director who is responsible for the work. That person also must be able to hold federal agencies accountable. The cybersecurity landscape has only grown more complex since President-Elect Biden left office as vice president. Election security, foreign investment […]

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