2 min read | Mar 3, 2016
In the wake of the OPM data breach that garnered national attention, the White House has taken bold strides to improve the Nation’s cybersecurity. Armed with the tools provided in the recently-passed Cybersecurity Act of 2015, the Federal Government now has the resources to truly impact our digital safety. So what’s the President’s first big move of 2016? Appoint our Country’s first Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).
Key Takeaways
1. Cost
The CISO is part of the larger National Cybersecurity Action Plan initiated this year. The President plans to invest over $19 billion as part of his 2017 budget – $3.1 billion of which has been designated as the CISO’s operating budget.
2. Job Description
The CISO’s primary role will be to modernize the retirement, replacement and management of cybersecurity measures across the three branches of government. The Obama administration believes the position will bring continuity, organization and improved efficiency for the Nation’s holistic digital security.
3. What It Means For You
The new position is not only a Federal resource. The CISO will also work with state and local officials to ensure that all Americans have the power and confidence to secure their own online accounts without fear of being hacked. The National Cyber Security Alliance has partnered with technology giants like Google, Facebook, DropBox, Microsoft and others to provide consumers with more actionable information and resources to secure their online information easily and effectively.
Notable U.S. Government Data Hacks
- 2013 & 2014 – U.S. Office of Personnel Management is hacked twice in two years. The first attack did not yield any personal information.
- 2014 – The State Department’s unclassified email system is hacked.
- 2016 – Hackers access sensitive information of over 29,000 U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Homeland Security staff members.
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