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US Looks to Coordinate Global Cybersecurity – Eetasia.com

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US Looks to Coordinate Global Cybersecurity – Eetasia.com

Article By : Ann R. Thryft

A new State Department bureau would provide badly needed cybersecurity and technology training for diplomats.

A proposed U.S. State Department cyber bureau seeks to train diplomats in cybersecurity techniques needed to confront escalating attacks by hackers, many believed to be state-sponsored.

In late October, the department announced it would seek congressional approval for a new diplomatic bureau dedicated to cybersecurity and emerging technology.

State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the mission of the new Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, and its ambassador-at-large, would focus on cyber rules, as well as negotiations and deterrence. A separate special envoy for critical and emerging technology would oversee technology diplomacy with U.S. allies, partners and others.

While cybersecurity diplomacy may not seem immediately relevant to engineers and technology companies, the concept is very relevant to victims of ransomware attacksdata breaches or other cyberattacks, especially those aimed at critical infrastructure.

Ransomware in particular is a growing global threat. A July study by IDC found that over one-third of organizations suffered a ransomware attack or breach in the previous year that prevented access to data or systems. The global incident rate was several times higher than the incident rate for U.S. companies.

Earlier studies have shown that industrial control systems in particular are increasingly targeted by ransomware attacks, and cyberattacks now strike nearly half of manufacturers.

Collective action

While the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), a branch of the Department of Homeland Security, coordinates efforts across federal departments, CISA tends to focus primarily on domestic cyber-defense, noted Duncan Greatwood, CEO of Xage Security.

By contrast, the proposed State Department bureau is oriented internationally. “There’s some coordination among close allies of the U.S., which is helpful defensively, and in terms of sharing knowledge of threats, but less helpful in dealing with nations where those threats originate,” said Greatwood, a former Apple executive.

The new bureau would also address the reality that international boundaries and the rule of law are not respected by cybercriminals, noted Bonnie Glick, director of the Center for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue.

“Part of the role the State Department plays is promoting U.S. policies abroad, including democratic values and the rule of law,” Glick said. “The latter is very real and very much needed.”

“Whether [cybercriminals] are state-sponsored as in Iran, or pseudo-state sponsored, or rogue criminals, they all have eyes on the U.S., its companies and individuals” she added. “They’re wreaking havoc on international systems and don’t play by anyone’s rules.”

The State Department serves as “the steward of all of our country’s diplomatic and international affairs,” therefore it makes sense for the agency to …….

Source: https://www.eetasia.com/u-s-looks-to-coordinate-global-cybersecurity/