Continued Funding From Congress Key For Government Cybersecurity, Expert Says
Efforts to shore up the security of government systems will require continued investment from Congress.
June 3, 2021–Securing systems against attacks will require consistent funding from Congress, as threats and attacks increasingly target American businesses and government, a federal cybersecurity expert said at a cybersecurity summit on Wednesday.
“There’s no silver bullet or single technology that will secure our systems,” said Matt Hartman, deputy executive assistant director of cybersecurity at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency under the Department of Homeland Security. “Our approach will require multiple layers of protection, defense, integrated technology, and continued investment from Congress.”
Last month, President Joe Biden signed an executive order on improving the U.S.’s cybersecurity capabilities. That followed two high-profile cybersecurity breaches, including on the software company SolarWinds, and more recently against oil transport company Colonial Pipeline.
“Malicious cyber actors are…sophisticated,” said Nick Andersen, chief information security Officer at Lumen Technologies. “And the harsh truth is that the consequences of cyber incidents continue to threaten public safety, economic and national security, and the resilience of the systems upon which we have built American society.”
The panelists said the federal government is largely playing catch-up with enhancing their cybersecurity capabilities.
