WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) and Representative Mike Gallagher (R-Wisc.), Co-Chairs of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC), today released the following statement on the Biden administration’s newly unveiled National Cybersecurity Strategy. The strategy builds on several key cybersecurity priorities of the CSC, including strengthening the cyberdefense of critical infrastructure, improving public-private collaboration, and creating strong, clear cyberdeterrents.

The National Cybersecurity Strategy lays out an administration’s policy goals for the nation’s roles, responsibilities, and resources in cyberspace. Read the new Strategy HERE and a fact sheet HERE.

“The new National Cybersecurity Strategy issued today is a comprehensive document that clearly lays out the case for a more robust and engaged approach to defending our national critical infrastructure from a growing list of cyber threats.

“It is consistent with, and expands on, the work of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission: identifying the key operational objectives of building a resilient national critical infrastructure, enhancing public-private collaboration, investing in federal agencies network security, improving the security of the overall cyber ecosystem, imposing costs on threat actors, and developing the cyber capabilities of our international partners.

“The strategy lays out a strong argument for regulating or incentivizing the cybersecurity of key infrastructures that are lacking specific standards, to include the cloud computing sector. It also acknowledges the need to harmonize existing regulations in sectors where there are too many straws stirring the drink.

“The need for speed of data collaboration between government agencies, and between the federal government, state and local partners, and the private sector is also called out. This is effectively an endorsement of the Joint Collaborative Environment championed by Representative Jim Langevin over the past two years.

“This strategy is an important step in the evolution of the National Cyber Director (NCD), an office designed to lead the federal government in combatting cyber malicious actors. This document clearly reflects the strong legacy of the inaugural NCD, Chris Inglis. We are excited to see the acting NCD, Kemba Walden, implement the strategy’s numerous important tasks over the next two years.”

+++

The National Cybersecurity Strategy seeks to build and enhance collaboration around five pillars:

1. Defending Critical Infrastructure – We will give the American people confidence in the availability and resilience of our critical infrastructure and the essential services it provides.
2. Disrupting and Dismantling Threat Actors – Using all instruments of national power, we will make malicious cyber actors incapable of threatening the national security or public safety of the United States.
3. Shaping Market Forces to Drive Security and Resilience – We will place responsibility on those within our digital ecosystem that are best positioned to reduce risk and shift the consequences of poor cybersecurity away from the most vulnerable in order to make our digital ecosystem more trustworthy.
4. Investing in a Resilient Future – Through strategic investments and coordinated, collaborative action, the United States will continue to lead the world in the innovation of secure and resilient next-generation technologies and infrastructure.
5. Forging International Partnerships to Pursue Shared Goals – The United States seeks a world where responsible state behavior in cyberspace is expected and reinforced and where irresponsible behavior is isolating and costly.

As Co-Chairs of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC), Senator King and Representative Gallagher are recognized as two of Congress’ leading experts on cyberdefense and are strong advocates for a forward-thinking cyberstrategy that emphasizes layered cyberdeterrence. Since it officially launched in April 2019, dozens of CSC recommendations have been enacted into law, including the creation of a National Cyber Director.