The outgoing cyber czar of the White House, Harry Coker, has emphasized three key factors to address the increasing threat of digital attacks: more funding, deregulation, and opening up cyber jobs to individuals without college degrees.
With adversaries like Iran, China, and Russia launching continuous attacks on the US digital infrastructure, President Joe Biden’s national cyber director stressed the need to prioritize cybersecurity within federal budgets. Coker made these remarks at an event held with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington, DC.
Despite acknowledging the challenging budget situation in the US, Coker stressed the importance of prioritizing cybersecurity within existing budgets to combat the growing threat of cyber attacks.
Coker also highlighted the burden of “duplicative federal regulation” on those working to protect the nation’s online infrastructure, noting that a significant amount of time is spent on compliance rather than ensuring protection from hacks.
Amidst the ongoing cyber threats, Coker urged for a focus on streamlining regulations and collaborative efforts between stakeholders to enhance regulatory harmonization and better protect the private sector.
Recent cyber attacks, such as China’s Salt Typhoon, have raised concerns about the vulnerability of American infrastructure. The infiltration of US telecommunications giants by a Chinese intelligence group resulted in access to private communications of Americans, including government officials and political figures.
In light of the escalating cyber threats, Coker highlighted the recruitment challenges faced by the cyber industry, pointing out that there are nearly 500,000 open cyber jobs in the US. He emphasized the importance of shifting the focus from college degrees to skills when hiring federal employees and contractors, in order to expand the talent pool and address the shortage of cyber professionals.
