The Biden administration is already engaging with a private sector-led national security advisory group on telecommunications and information technology issues and plans to continue to work “hand-in-glove” with industry on cyber security matters, a White House official said on Wednesday.
The administration plans accelerate the adoption of the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee’s (NSTAC) recommendations in the areas of software assurance and U.S. leadership in emerging and critical technologies into its national cyber security strategy, Anne Neuberger, deputy national security advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technologies for the National Security Council, said during a public teleconference of the committee.
Neuberger asked the NSTAC members what barriers exist to improving public-private partnerships and how these barriers can be removed. John Donovan, the chair of the NSTAC and former executive with AT&T [T], highlighted the breadth and depth of the expertise and experience of the NSTAC members and the industries they represent, adding that it’s important that their work “lands on welcome desks” and is acted on quickly. He told Neuberger that the NSTAC appreciates that she has already provided the committee with study topics.
Neuberger said the administration will be a “key partner” with the NSTAC and plans to engage on operational issues requiring faster turnaround from the committee as well as longer-term strategic issues.
The administration is making cyber security a priority and Neuberger said will be focused on national and international engagement, including working to establish norms of behavior and calling out bad actors. She also said the administration is aware of competition in cyberspace and that it has consequences.
Brandon Wales, the acting director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), told the committee that new Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has been very “engaged” with the agency in his first week in office and its work with the private sector.
The NSTAC is overseen by CISA.