Biden Announces Cybersecurity Initiative Partnership

On August 25, 2021, US President Biden met with various leaders from the private and education sectors, discussing the effort needed to address growing cybersecurity threats in America. 

Cybersecurity is a “national security and economic security imperative” that the current Administration is prioritizing like never before. Apart from the May 2021 Executive Order that modernizes Federal Government defenses and improves security technology, Biden also issued a National Security memo to establish voluntary cybersecurity goals for owners and operators of critical infrastructure.

The White House announced that the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) would work with industry and other partners to develop a new framework, enhancing the security and integrity of the technology supply chain. It was also announced that the Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity Initiative would be expanded to natural gas pipelines.

Among the private sector companies that pledged commitment was tech giant Apple, announcing that it will invest $10 billion over the next five years to improve supply chain technology. IBM also said it would train 150,000 people in cybersecurity skills in the next three years, collaborating with more than 20 Historically Black Colleges & Universities to establish Cybersecurity Leadership Centers to grow a more diverse cyber workforce.

Over the next five years, Google and Microsoft also pledge $10 billion and $20 billion, respectively, o expand zero-trust programs and accelerate efforts in integrating cyber security by design and deliver advanced security solutions.

Other private sector and education leaders who announced their commitments during the August 25 meeting include online shopping giant Amazon, cybersecurity insurance providers like Resilience and Coalition, and the University of Texas System.

This cybersecurity initiative is just one of many public-private sector partnerships in North America and globally to address the looming risks caused by cyber-attacks that could wreak havoc to society.

As a leader of forward-looking cybersecurity solutions, Trend Micro has also partnered with various government institutions to enhance global cybersecurity. Click here to learn more about what we do.