Obama Debuts $19Bn Cybersecurity National Action Plan

The Obama administration has introduced its Cybersecurity National Action Plan, which would create a federal chief information security officer, establish a new commission tasked with protecting computer networks, and increase coordination between federal officials who focus on privacy issues.Part of the plan is a much-needed software patching and updating audit, and more training and recruiting for cybersecurity specialists.None of this will be cheap, of course—the White House will look for Congress to approve a 35% increase in the cybersecurity budget to secure $19 billion in funding for implementation starting next year. About $3 billion of that will be earmarked for the IT modernization effort."The cyber-threat continues to outpace our current efforts," Michael Daniel, the White House's cybersecurity coordinator, told reporters on a conference call."The President’s Cybersecurity National Action Plan aims to modernize agencies’ technology and user behavior, and we believe it is a broadly positive step forward,” Harley Geiger, director of public policy, Rapid7, said via email. “If implemented, the proposal will help support federal agencies that are very much in need of more secure IT to help prevent or mitigate more serious breaches. We hope Congress and the Administration will collaborate to execute this plan.”