Cybersecurity is quickly becoming the most pertinent issue in the field of Homeland Security. The digital age continues to expand into every aspect of our daily lives.  Businesses, social connections, and the economy flourish due to the increasing inter-connectivity; however, this connectivity presents a multitude of threats that continue to evolve daily.  In light of this, the President issued the Cybersecurity National Action Plan (CNAP) to culminate his Administration’s seven year effort to strengthen cybersecurity. 

The CNAP distributes “a series of near-term actions to enhance cybersecurity capabilities within the Federal Government and across the country.” In order to accomplish these actions, the President is seeking advice from the Nation’s top strategic , business, and technical thinkers in hopes of “enhancing cybersecurity awareness and protections, protect privacy, maintain public safety, and empower Americans to take better control of their digital security.” Some of the highlights of the plan are:

• Establish the “Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity” to make recommendations on actions that can be taken over the next decade to strengthen cybersecurity in both the public and private sectors.
• Modernize Government information technology (IT) and transform how the Government manages cybersecurity through the proposal of a $3.1 billion Information Technology Modernization Fund
• Empower Americans to secure their online accounts through a new National Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign launched by the National Cyber Security Alliance
• Invest over $19 Billion to address cybersecurity deficiencies as part of the President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Budget

These measures, along with additional steps outlined in the plan, are part of the persistent efforts of this Administration to heighten our long-term security and “reinforce American leadership in developing the technologies that power the digital world.“

For more resources on Cyber Crime and National Security, Cyber Policy, and Cyber Infrastructure Protection visit the Homeland Security Digital Library (some documents may require HSDL login).

Article formerly posted at https://www.hsdl.org/blog/newpost/view/cybersecurity-national-action-plan