President Biden Creates a New Agency to Investigate Cyberattacks

 


Organizations that fall victim to hacks often keep tight-lipped about what happened due to fear of legal liability or brand damage. But cybersecurity experts have long warned that the country will never break free from an endless cycle of computer breaches unless companies and government agencies become more transparent about how they got infiltrated. The danger was underscored in 2020 when a sophisticated Russian hack breached nine federal agencies

In an era where digital infrastructure is paramount to national security and economic stability, cyberattacks pose a significant threat to countries worldwide. Recognizing the escalating nature of these threats, President Joe Biden has taken a decisive step by establishing a new federal agency dedicated to investigating and combating cyberattacks. This move underscores the administration's commitment to bolstering the United States' cybersecurity defenses and ensuring the integrity of its digital landscape.

In 2021, Biden set up the Cyber Safety Review Board, a government review panel charged with investigating the most significant computer security breaches that have affected the country. Just as the National Transportation Safety Board investigates transportation incidents, the new DHS-led panel is tasked with identifying the root cause of significant hacks and offering guidance to ensure they never happen again. The Board has 15 members hailing from both the private sector and the U.S. government.

The CSRB has received strong positive feedback from the cybersecurity industry for its first two investigations: one into a software vulnerability that had the government bracing for a digital crisis and a second involving a group of hackers who developed a playbook to slip the defenses at some of the country’s highest profile companies, among them Uber and Microsoft. It’s unclear how much impact the board has really had, however, given that companies are not obligated to follow its guidance. It has also received criticism for appearing to avoid investigations that could make individual companies or the government look bad, a charge the CSRB denies.

The Biden administration is hoping Congress will make the CSRB a permanent fixture of the federal government’s cybersecurity landscape. It has sent lawmakers draft legislation to codify the panel into law, enhance its budget and give it greater legal authorities to compel the production of evidence from breach victims. But Congress hasn’t yet acted, leaving the future of the board an open question.

References

White House. (2024). Fact Sheet: Establishment of the Cybersecurity and Digital Resilience Agency. Retrieved from [White House] https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/02/15/fact-sheet-establishment-of-the-cybersecurity-and-digital-resilience-agency/

U.S. Congress. (2023). Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2023. Retrieved from [Congress] https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/4623?s=1&r=14&q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22Cybersecurity+Enhancement+Act+of+2023%22%7D

Department of Homeland Security. (2024). New Agency to Strengthen Cyber Defenses and Investigate Cyberattacks. Retrieved from [DHS] https://www.dhs.gov/news/2024/03/01/new-agency-strengthen-cyber-defenses-and-investigate-cyberattacks

Russian cybercrime gang hacks federal agencies. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/15/multiple-federal-agencies-hit-by-hack-00102229#:~:text=Most%20famously%2C%20in%202020%20at,software%20from%20cybersecurity%20group%20SolarWinds.

Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB) (2024). Retrieved June 26, 2024, from https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/groups/cyber-safety-review-board-csrb

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