Federal Register :: Notice of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Cybersecurity Advisory Committee Meeting

Lawmakers say the law needs to reflect changes in cyber threats, new concepts like zero trust, and the creation of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in 2018. These partnerships allow us to defend networks, attribute malicious activity, sanction bad behavior, and take the fight to our adversaries overseas. The FBI fosters this team approach through unique hubs where government, industry, and academia form long-term trusted relationships to combine efforts against cyber threats.

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas released the following statement on cybersecurity preparedness. In just the first few months of 2022, and throughout the course of the year, there has been a troubling uptick in bomb threats across the country, 49 of which targeted Historically Black Colleges and Universities and 19 against Predominately Black Institutions . Following the Secretary’s initial call for action in February, DHS created an internal task force as part of this sprint with representatives from its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency , the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Coast Guard, as well as its policy, legal, public affairs, and Congressional experts. Understanding that most challenges require a more sustained effort than what can be accomplished within 60 days, the sprints are designed to leverage the Office of the Secretary to elevate existing work to address the specific challenge, remove roadblocks that have slowed down efforts, and launch new initiatives and partnerships where needed. NSA partners with schools to help cultivate the next generation of experts in science, technology, engineering, math, language and analysis to protect the nation.

President Biden has made cybersecurity a top priority for the Biden-Harris Administration at all levels of government. DHS plays a lead role in strengthening the nation’s cyber resilience, but cybersecurity is not limited by boundaries, borders, and jurisdictions. Protecting against cyber threats at home also requires collaborating with partners abroad and DHS agencies and offices also play a critical role in enhancing cybersecurity efforts worldwide. The Executive Order signed by President Biden in May 2021 focuses on improving software supply chain security by establishing baseline security standards for development of software sold to the government, including requiring developers to maintain greater visibility into their software and making security data publicly available. It stands up a concurrent public-private process to develop new and innovative approaches to secure software development and uses the power of Federal procurement to incentivize the market.

Treasury’s near-term actions include “changes to password policies, building a new data categorization model, and making one ‘internal’ systems accessible over the Internet,” according to budget justification documents. The White House is requesting $10.9 billion in cybersecurity-related funding for federal civilian agencies in FY-23, an 11% increase above last year’s request. Law enforcement agencies all over the country are bumping up against “warrant-proof” encryption. This means that even with a warrant, law enforcement cannot obtain the electronic evidence needed to investigate and prosecute crimes or security threats. Our Nation’s security and economic prosperity depend on the stability and integrity of our Federal communications and information infrastructure.

This in turn may impair the agency's ability to identify and respond to incidents, such as the cyberattack discovered in December 2020 that caused widespread damage. Dr. David Mussington serves as the Executive Assistant Director for Infrastructure Security at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency as of February 19, 2021. In this role, Mussington leads CISA’s efforts to secure the nation’s critical infrastructure in coordination with government and the private sector.

In May 2017, the President signed Executive Order 13800, Strengthening the Cybersecurity of Federal Networks and Critical Infrastructure, which concentrates on IT modernization and cybersecurity risk management. Executive Order reinforces the Federal Information Security Modernization Act by holding agency heads accountable for managing cybersecurity risks to their enterprises. It requires each agency to assess its cybersecurity risks and submit a plan to OMB detailing actions to implement the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. Earlier this week, it also launched a "Shields Up" campaign notifying organizations in the U.S. of potential risks arising Agency Cybersecurity from cyber threats that can disrupt access to essential services and potentially result in impacts to public safety. Information from network and system logs on Federal Information Systems (for both on-premises systems and connections hosted by third parties, such as CSPs) is invaluable for both investigation and remediation purposes. It is essential that agencies and their IT service providers collect and maintain such data and, when necessary to address a cyber incident on FCEB Information Systems, provide them upon request to the Secretary of Homeland Security through the Director of CISA and to the FBI, consistent with applicable law.