On March 2, the White House released a long-awaited National Cybersecurity Strategy which is designed to combat the rising threat of malicious cyber activity we have seen in recent years. 

In a fact sheet, the government advises that the plan is intended to “reimagine cyberspace as a tool to achieve our goals in a way that reflects our values: economic security and prosperity; respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; trust in our democracy and democratic institutions; and an equitable and diverse society.” 

The release also states that the strategy recognizes that the government must use all tools of national power in a coordinated manner to protect national security, public safety and economic prosperity.

The vision includes making our digital ecosystem:

• Defensible, where cyber defense is overwhelmingly easier, cheaper, and more effective;
• Resilient, where cyber incidents and errors have little widespread or lasting impact; and,
• Values-aligned, where our most cherished values shape—and are in turn reinforced by— our digital world.

The Cybersecurity Strategy seeks to build and enhance collaboration around five pillars:

Defend Critical Infrastructure

• Expand the use of minimum cybersecurity requirements in critical sectors to ensure national security and public safety and harmonize regulations to reduce the burden of compliance;
• Enable public-private collaboration at the speed and scale necessary to defend critical infrastructure and essential services; and,
• Defend and modernize Federal networks and updating Federal incident response policy. 

Disrupt and Dismantle Threat Actors 

• Strategically employ all tools of national power to disrupt adversaries; 
• Engage the private sector in disruption activities through scalable mechanisms; and, 
• Address the ransomware threat through a comprehensive Federal approach and in lockstep with international partners.

Shape Market Forces to Drive Security and Resilience

• Promote privacy and the security of personal data;
• Shift liability for software products and services to promote secure development practices; and,
• Ensure that Federal grant programs promote investments in new infrastructure that are secure and resilient.

Invest in a Resilient Future 

• Reduce systemic technical vulnerabilities in the foundation of the Internet and across the digital ecosystem while making it more resilient against transnational digital repression;
• Prioritize cybersecurity R&D for next-generation technologies such as post quantum encryption, digital identity solutions and clean energy infrastructure; and,
•  Develop a diverse and robust national cyber workforce. 

Forge International Partnerships to Pursue Shared Goals

• Leverage international coalitions and partnerships among like-minded nations to counter threats to the digital ecosystem through joint preparedness, response and cost imposition;
• Increase the capacity of partners to defend themselves against cyber threats, both in peacetime and in crisis; and,
• Work with allies and partners to make secure, reliable and trustworthy global supply chains for information and communications technology and operational technology products and services.

For more information on cybersecurity call TNTMAX at (201) 891-8686, email us at  [email protected], and browse our website for more solutions on how to stay safe online.