CybersecurityU.S. to issue new policy directive for coordinated government response to cyberattacks

The administration is set to release a new directive on how the government should respond to significant cyberattacks. The release of the directives aims to clarify the responsibilities of agencies involved in security breaches.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the presidential directive comes against the backdrop of an increasing number of cyberattacks by criminals and foreign governments, attacks which saw the staling of massive amounts of information from U.S. companies, citizens, and government offices.

The Journal notes that the new policy directive, which has been in the work for months, will focus in part on how government agencies will coordinate the overall government response to significant cyberattacks.

Lawmakers, government officials, and security experts have urged the government to clarify how it responds to cyberattacks.

• The FBI probes hacks
• DHS is tasked with helping protect civilian agencies and be a conduit between the government and business community
• The NSA has advanced digital forensic tools to help determine who is responsible for hacks
• The Commerce Department monitors the development and sale of cyber technology and cyber weapons
• The U.S. Cyber Command focuses on offensive and defensive cyber tools
• Other agencies work with companies from different sectors, especially critical infrastructure sectors such as banking and energy, to persuade them to have strong defenses.

The Journal notes that the plethora of agencies working in the cybersecurity field has led some companies to wonder who is in charge and who they should turn to when there is an attack.