White House, technology companies announce cybersecurity initiatives

The National Institute of Standards and Technology will work with technology leaders to develop a framework to improve security in the technology supply chain, the White House announced yesterday at a meeting with technology leaders. Microsoft, Google, IBM, Travelers and the cyber insurance provider Coalition will participate in the initiative. Apple, Google, IBM, Amazon and other participants at the meeting also announced initiatives to improve security or expand the cybersecurity workforce. 

John Riggi, AHA senior advisor for cybersecurity and risk, said, “We applaud the administration’s efforts to embark on a whole-of-nation approach to prioritize and coordinate cybersecurity efforts across government and the private sector. We all recognize that the solution to this national security threat will rely on leveraging public/private expertise and capabilities and expanding the cyber workforce. We also recognize that defense is only half the solution to this national security threat. We urge the government to continue a coordinated campaign utilizing all diplomatic, financial, law enforcement, intelligence and cyber military capabilities to disrupt these foreign-based ransomware gangs, seize their illegal proceeds and increase consequences for those nations which harbor them — as we effectively did in the global fight against terrorism.”

For more on this or other cyber and risk issues, contact Riggi at jriggi@aha.org.