US Cyberspace Policy Review And Cyber Security

US President Barack Obama promised during his election campaign that he would streamline the Cyber Security Infrastructure of America. He did not disappoint America and he initiated the “Most Comprehensive” Cyber Security Initiatives of America.

He has also declared that Cyber Threats are serious Economical and National Security related challenges that US must urgently redress. He also believes that America's economic prosperity in the 21st century will depend on Cyber Security.

To achieve the abovementioned Cyber Security Objectives, Obama has directed a top-to-bottom review of the Federal Government's efforts to defend America’s information and Communications Infrastructure.

This resulted in the finalisation of a report titled the Cyberspace Policy Review. To implement the results of this review, the President has appointed Howard Schmidt to serve at the U.S. Cyber Security Coordinator and created the Cyber Security Office within the National Security Staff. The Office works closely with the Federal Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra, the Federal Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra and the National Economic Council.

America’s National Cyber Security Strategy intends to improve its resilience to cyber incidents and reduce the cyber threat. Improving the cyber resilience includes hardening the digital infrastructure to be more resistant to penetration and disruption, improving the ability to defend against sophisticated and agile cyber threats and recovering quickly from cyber incidents—whether caused by malicious activity, accident, or natural disaster.

On the front of tackling Cyber Threats, US intends to reduce threats by working with allies on International Cyber Security Cooperation, strengthening Law Enforcement Capabilities against Cyber Crime, and deterring potential adversaries from taking advantage of its remaining vulnerabilities.

Underlying all of these efforts is the need to acquire the best possible information about the State of America’s networks and the capabilities and intentions of its cyber adversaries. US must also make critical Cyber Security information available to and usable by everyone who needs it, including network operators and defenders, law enforcement and intelligence agencies, and emergency management officials in the Federal, State, local, and tribal governments, private industry, and allied Governments.

US has also recognised the importance of Protecting the Civil Liberties and Human Rights in Cyberspace. Similar commitment is also required from United Nations for the Protection of Human Rights in Cyberspace. US maintains that while securing its networks, it will do so in a manner that preserves and enhances our personal privacy and enables the exercise of our civil liberties and fundamental freedoms.

US believes that in the 21st Century, our digital networks are essential to our way of life around the World and are an engine for freedom. The increased security must be accompanied with an enhanced user privacy and keeping the Internet open and innovative.

The President’s Cyberspace Policy Review identifies 10 near term actions to support its Cyber Security strategy:

(1) Appoint a Cyber Security policy official responsible for coordinating the Nation’s Cyber Security policies and activities.

(2) Prepare for the President’s approval an updated national strategy to secure the information and communications infrastructure.

(3) Designate Cyber Security as one of the President’s key management priorities and establish performance metrics.

(4) Designate a Privacy and Civil Liberties official to the NSC Cyber Security directorate.

(5) Conduct interagency-cleared legal analysis of priority Cyber Security-related issues.

(6) Initiate a national awareness and education campaign to promote Cyber Security.

(7) Develop an International Cyber Security Policy Framework and strengthen our International Partnerships.

(8) Prepare a Cyber Security Incident Response Plan and initiate a dialog to enhance public-private partnerships.

(9) Develop a framework for research and development strategies that focus on game-changing technologies that have the potential to enhance the security, reliability, resilience, and trustworthiness of digital infrastructure.

(10) Build a Cyber Security-based identity management vision and strategy, leveraging privacy-enhancing technologies for the Nation.

We at Perry4Law and Perry4Law Techno Legal Base (PTLB) believe that these are far reaching and Reformative Cyber Security Initiatives suggested by US. If implemented in a Timely and Planned manner they can reduce the Cyber Threat against US Cyberspace to a great extent.