The US President Joe Biden met with private sectorandeducation leaders to discuss how to improve cybersecurity in the USA. Participants from tech, finance, insurance companies and educational organisations reflected on opportunities to bolster national cybersecurity in partnership and individually. The discussions were held in three parallel sessions: 'Critical Infrastructure Resilience,' 'Building Enduring Cybersecurity,' and 'Cybersecurity Workforce'.
Oncritical infrastructure resilience, theUS governmentannounced two initiatives. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and partners will develop a new framework to improve the security and integrity of the technology supply chain. Microsoft, Google, IBM, Travelers, and Coalition committed to participating in the initiative. The second government initiative is expanding the Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity Initiative to cover natural gas pipelines.
Insurance companiesResilience and Coalitionalso made commitments regarding critical infrastructure resilience. Resilience will require policy holders to meet a threshold of cybersecurity best practice as a condition of receiving coverage. Coalition will make its cybersecurity risk assessment and continuous monitoring platform available for free to any organization.
Amazon, Apple, Google, IBM, Microsoftmade commitments towardsbuilding enduring cybersecurity. Amazonwill make the security awareness training it offers its employees available to the public for free. Applewill establish a new program to drive continuous security improvements such as mass adoption of multi-factor authentication, security training, vulnerability remediation, event logging, and incident response throughout its supply chain. Googlewill invest US$10 billion over the next five years to expand zero-trust programs, help secure the software supply chain, and enhance open-source security. Microsoftwill invest US$20 billion over the next 5 years to accelerate efforts to integrate cyber security by design and deliver advanced security solutions.
IBM, Code.org, Girls Who Code and University of Texas Systemmade commitments towardsbuilding a cybersecurity workforcein an effort to help fill the estimated 500,000 cyber workplaces gap. IBMwill train 150,000 people in cybersecurity skills over the next three years, and will establish Cybersecurity Leadership Centers in partnership with more than 20 Historically Black Colleges & Universities to grow a more diverse cyber workforce. Code.orgwill teach cybersecurity concepts to over 3 million students over 3 years. Girls Who Codewill establish a micro credentialing program for historically excluded groups in technology. University of Texas Systemwill expand existing and develop new short-term credentials in cyber-related. Whatcom Community Collegewill provide cybersecurity education and training to faculty and support program development for colleges to "fast-track" students from college to career.