2025-04-13
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Bolstering Cyber Defense: A Call to Action for Biden and Allied Nations

Reynolds Alex08 mins
Bolstering Cyber Defense: A Call to Action for Biden and Allied Nationscyberdefense,cybersecurity,Biden,alliednations,calltoaction

Policy Report: Biden should prioritize cyber capacity building for allies

Introduction

A new report from the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD) is urging the Biden administration to prioritize cyber capacity building for allies and partners. The report highlights the success of Ukraine in repelling Russian cyberattacks with the assistance of partner nations and corporations. It outlines eight recommendations for the Biden administration to ensure that cyber capacity building becomes a key part of its international cybersecurity strategy. This report comes at a crucial time when cyberattacks are increasingly posing significant threats to national security and critical infrastructure.

Background

The report highlights Ukraine’s successful defense against Russian cyberattacks, particularly on critical infrastructure such as the energy system. Ukraine’s ability to fend off cyberattacks has been attributed, in part, to investments made by the United States and its allies in building defensive capabilities. The report emphasizes that cyber defense is effective and that it is possible to keep attackers out, respond quickly, and recover from attacks. However, it also notes that some allies and partners are not as resilient as they need to be, highlighting the need for capacity building.

The Need for Cyber Capacity Building

The report emphasizes that cyber capacity building is essential for allies and partners to develop cyber resilience, national cyber strategies, prosecute cyber criminals, and evict malicious cyber actors from critical networks. It argues that there is a need for additional funding for existing capacity building programs within the Departments of State, Defense, Justice, Energy, Homeland Security, and Treasury. The report recommends consolidating the administration of these programs within the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy and allocating more funding to them. It suggests that State and DOD should receive the bulk of any additional funds.

Recommendations

The report offers several recommendations to enhance cyber capacity building:

  • The international cybersecurity strategy, to be drafted by the State Department’s Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy, should prioritize resources from both military and civilian agencies, eliminate redundancies, and account for the role of allies and private-sector partners.
  • Cyber force employment capabilities should be built out for allies, along with considering the expansion of cyber force deployments for offensive cyber operations.
  • Training programs, tabletop exercises, and operational exercises should be conducted to provide guidance on legal and operational issues for cyber practitioners.
  • Cyber resilience in critical infrastructure should be prioritized, and bilateral and multilateral cyber exercises should be conducted to enhance collaboration.
  • Bilateral memoranda of understandings should be used to improve military cyber defense capabilities with allies.

Analysis

The report highlights the interconnected nature of cybersecurity and the need for global cooperation to address cyber threats. It recognizes that no single country or entity can address these challenges alone and emphasizes the importance of building cyber capacity in allied nations. It also acknowledges the importance of offensive cyber operations in deterring and responding to cyber threats.

Cyber capacity building is crucial to ensure that allies and partners are equipped to defend against cyberattacks, develop robust cyber strategies, and effectively respond to cyber incidents. By investing in technical assistance, training, and strategy development, the United States can strengthen its alliances and create a more secure cyber ecosystem.

Conclusion

The report’s recommendations provide a roadmap for the Biden administration to prioritize cyber capacity building for allies and partners. By implementing these recommendations, the United States can enhance global cybersecurity, deter cyber threats, and promote stability in the digital realm. It is essential for the administration to allocate sufficient funding and streamline the administration of capacity building programs to effectively address the growing cyber challenges. Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility, and by building strong cyber defenses in allied nations, the United States can fortify its own cybersecurity posture. The Biden administration should seize this opportunity to lead in the realm of cybersecurity and foster collaboration among nations to confront the evolving cyber threats.

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