President Biden Proposes USD 10.19Bn to Strengthen US Cybersecurity!

Amid the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the US Federal Government suffered a massive cyberattack that lead to a series of data breaches. The hackers exploited data from federal agencies, including the Defense Department, Labor Department, and Energy Department, and private firms such as Microsoft, SolarWinds, and VMware. It was considered to be one of the worst cyber-espionage incidents that occurred in the US.

In the wake of the cyberattacks, President Joe Biden has proposed a USD 10.1 billion funding to strengthen US cybersecurity capabilities.

Also Read: Biggest Data Breaches and Cyberattacks of 2020

On January 14, 2021, Biden announced the ‘American Rescue Plan,’ a USD 1.9 trillion relief package, to provide COVID-19 relief, boost economic recovery, combat the climate crisis, and improve cybersecurity posture, among others.

President Biden

“In addition to the COVID-19 crisis, we also face a crisis when it comes to the nation’s cybersecurity. The recent cybersecurity breaches of Federal Government data systems underscore the importance and urgency of strengthening the US cybersecurity capabilities,” states the Rescue Plan.

US President Biden has proposed to invest around USD 10.19 billion for modernizing federal information technology to protect against future cyberattacks. The proposal includes,

  • A USD 9 billion investment to launch new IT and cybersecurity shared services at the Cyber Security and Information Security Agency (CISA) and the General Services Administration and modernization projects at federal agencies.
  • A USD 200 million investment to hire hundreds of security experts to support the Federal Chief Information Security Officer and US Digital Service.
  • A USD 300 million to develop shared, secure services to drive transformational projects.
  • A USD 690 million to improve cybersecurity across federal civilian networks and boost piloting of new shared security and cloud computing services.

Meanwhile, Biden Administration has appointed Anne Neuberger as Deputy National Security Adviser for Cyber Security, along with a few other national security experts.

“These dedicated public servants will be integral in keeping the American people safe and building capacity to prepare for and respond to the full spectrum of threats we face from cyber intrusions to grid attacks, from possible future pandemics to deliberate acts of terror,” said Biden.

“They will strengthen our resilience to natural disasters and work with our allies and friends to ensure the cyber rules of the road are made by democracies,” he added.