Administration Releases Cybersecurity Priorities for FY 2025 Budget
The Biden administration has released a memorandum outlining its cybersecurity investment priorities for the fiscal year 2025 budget. The memorandum, issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD), identifies five key areas where the administration is seeking to make investments:
Defending critical infrastructure. The administration plans to invest in measures to protect critical infrastructure from cyberattacks, such as power grids, water systems, and transportation networks.
Disrupting and dismantling threat actors. The administration will also invest in efforts to disrupt and dismantle malicious cyber actors, such as those responsible for ransomware attacks.
Shaping market forces to drive security and resilience. The administration will work to encourage the private sector to develop and adopt security and resilience measures.
Investing in a resilient future. The administration will invest in research and development to develop new cybersecurity technologies and capabilities.
Forging international partnerships to pursue shared goals. The administration will work with international partners to share information and best practices on cybersecurity.
The memorandum also calls on agencies to submit their FY 2025 budget requests under these priorities. OMB and ONCD will review the submissions and provide feedback to agencies on how they can better align their investments with the administration's priorities.
The release of this memorandum is a significant step forward in the Biden administration's efforts to improve the nation's cybersecurity posture. The priorities outlined in the memorandum are comprehensive and address the full range of cybersecurity challenges facing the United States. The administration's commitment to these priorities is a welcome sign that it is taking cybersecurity seriously.
In addition to the five key areas outlined in the memorandum, the administration also highlighted several other cybersecurity priorities, including:
Modernizing federal defenses. The administration plans to invest in modernizing the federal government's cybersecurity infrastructure. This includes upgrading systems and networks, implementing zero-trust security principles, and improving incident response capabilities.
Securing the software supply chain. The administration is also committed to securing the software supply chain. This includes working with the private sector to develop and adopt secure software development practices.
Building a more resilient workforce. The administration plans to invest in building a more resilient cybersecurity workforce. This includes providing training and education to federal employees and working with the private sector to develop a pipeline of cybersecurity talent.
The administration's release of these cybersecurity priorities is a positive step forward. The priorities are comprehensive and address the full range of cybersecurity challenges facing the United States. The administration's commitment to these priorities is a welcome sign that it is taking cybersecurity seriously.
How You Can Help
You can do several things to help improve the nation's cybersecurity posture. These include:
Stay informed about cybersecurity threats. The best way to protect yourself from cyberattacks is to be aware of the latest threats. You can stay informed by reading cybersecurity news and following cybersecurity experts on social media.
Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication. This is one of the most basic things you can do to protect your online accounts.
Keep your software up to date. Software updates often include security patches that can help protect you from vulnerabilities.
Be careful what you click on. Phishing emails and malicious websites are common ways cybercriminals access your devices. Be careful what links you click on and what attachments you open.
Back up your data. This is important in case your devices are compromised.
By taking these steps, you can help protect yourself and your organization from cyberattacks.
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