In March of 2023 the federal government drafted and released a National Cybersecurity Strategy. The strategy outlines five pillars that are critical to implementation. In this blog series we will dive into each pillar and how ZKX will abide by these guidelines and support this strategy.
The five pillars are:
- Defend critical infrastructure
- Disrupt and dismantle threat actors
- Shape market forces to drive security and resilience
- Invest in a resilient future
- Forge international partnerships to pursue shared goals
Shape market forces to drive security and resilience
Responsibility of cybersecurity needs to be pushed down to those who are in the best position to reduce risks. Shifting blame away from the most vulnerable points should increase the level of trust within the digital ecosystems. By leveraging market forces instead of diminishing them we are pushing towards a more resilient future.
According to Pillar Three, these are the steps we need to take to secure critical infrastructure:
- Hold the stewards of our data accountable. Securing personal data is critical to protecting citizens’ privacy. Today so many pieces of our data are digitally stored that we must hold those who oversee protecting our data responsible and force them to adhere to rules that protect critical data.
- Drive the development of secure IOT devices. IOT devices such as fitness trackers and baby monitors make life easier, but many of these products were not developed with cybersecurity threats in mind and lack the capabilities to protect data against bad actors.
- Shift liability for insecure software products and services. Poor software security significantly increases systemic risk across the digital ecosystem and leaves American citizens paying the cost. The liability should be shifted off US citizens and back onto those developing the software products and services.
- Use federal grants and other incentives to build in security. The federal government is going to start prioritizing cybersecurity research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) programs to innovate further and strengthen critical infrastructure and cybersecurity.
- Leverage federal procurement to improve accountability. Continuing to develop new concepts for reinforcing cybersecurity requirements can lead to novel approaches, however, these approaches must be held accountable should their systems fail.
- Explore a federal cyber insurance backstop. The government is responsible for stabilizing the economy and reassuring the nation in uncertain times. Having these measures in place before a catastrophic event is critical rather than rushing to secure aid after the incident has taken place.
Private sector resources can shape the national cybersecurity infrastructure
We are not currently leveraging industry partners to prioritize the protection of critical infrastructure, the economy, or national security interests. The private sector has countless technologies and resources that could aid in the development of national cybersecurity structures and ensure a secure and resilient future. Should these technologies be leveraged at the federal level, a more unified cybersecurity strategy would be achievable to protect our nation’s critical infrastructure.