US homeland department urged to improve information-sharing programme

US representative Dutch Ruppersberger has urged the Department of Homeland Security to improve its information-sharing programme and also warned about the threat posed by nation-state hacking tools to federal networks.

Ruppersberger released a new report aimed at bolstering the protection of government agencies and the US private sector against increasing cyber attacks.

It makes recommendations to the House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee with regard to the challenges that are hampering the cybersecurity efforts of the department.

Ruppersberger said: “We all agree the digital threat is one of the most dangerous and prolific of modern times and I think it needs to be made a higher priority.

“We are spending billions of dollars a year on the Department of Homeland Security’s cybersecurity mission and the threat is only getting worse.

“From finally having our first-ever, cyber-specific budget hearing to considering a wholesale reorganisation of the government’s cyber efforts, I hope these recommendations better position us to protect ourselves and American companies.”

The recommendations require the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Appropriations to hold its first cybersecurity-specific budget hearing during fiscal year 2019 and focus on the department’s efforts to protect against the threats posed by the leak of exploitable vulnerabilities.

The subcommittee should also focus on the department’s efforts to protect against threats that target industrial control systems.

Additionally, the merits of shifting funding for cyber research and development from the Science & Technology Directorate to the National Protection and Programs Directorate should be assessed.

As part of the recommendations, the subcommittee should focus on the department’s efforts to improve the way the information is shared by the government and private sector about potential and confirmed cybersecurity threats.

Alternative organisational structures are also needed to be explored within the government and evaluate the department’s implementation of President Trump’s National Infrastructure Advisory Council recommendations.