Homeland Security Unveils New Cybersecurity Strategy

DHS works to create cybersecurity plan that encompasses all data.

• By Sydny Shepard
• May 16, 2018

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has announced their new plans for addressing cybersecurity risks and reducing digital vulnerabilities.

"The cyber threat landscape is shifting in real-time, and we have reached a historic turning point," DHS chief Kirstjen Nielsen said in a statement. "It is clear that our cyber adversaries can now threaten the very fabric of our republic itself."

The announcement comes amid concerns of the 2018 U.S. midterm congressional elections and numerous high-profile hacking of U.S. companies.

"The United States faces threats from a growing set of sophisticated malicious actors who seek to exploit cyberspace. Motivations include espionage, political and ideological interests, and financial gain," according to the 35-page report reviewed by Reuters before its public release. "Nation-states continue to present a considerable cyber threat. But non-state actors are emerging with capabilities that match those of sophisticated nation-states."

The report noted that by 2020 more than 20 billion devices are expected to be connected to the internet. "The risks introduced by the growing number and variety of such devices are substantial," the report said.

Nielson noted that the government must think beyond securing specific assets and confront systematic risks that affect everyone from giant tech giants to homeowners.

The DHS report said the agency "must better align our existing law enforcement efforts and resources to address new and emerging challenges in cyberspace, to include the growing use of end-to-end encryption, anonymous networks, online marketplaces, and cryptocurrencies."