Bolstering Cybersecurity, Defenses

Although the United States has started coordinated cyber efforts between the Defense Department and other government agencies, there is still plenty more work to do, said President Barack Obama during a worldwide troop talk at Fort Meade, Md., on Sept. 11. “Cybersecurity is opening a whole new era in which we have to watch out for our adversaries,” noted Obama, who acknowledged that hacking capabilities of state and non-state actors are becoming significantly more sophisticated. “Offense is moving faster than defense,” he said. Although the United States remains a leader in its cyber knowledge, he said Russia, China, and Iran have “caught up.” That’s why the US must “strengthen” its “overall networks,” continue to “train millions” of Americans and businesses on “basic cyber hygiene,” and “be much more rapid in responding to attacks.” He added, “One of our first and most important efforts has to be to get the s?tates that may be sponsoring cyberattacks to understand there comes a point at which we consider this a core national security threat, and [we] will treat it as such.”