The average cost of a data breach increased 2.6% in 2022, rising from $4.24 million in 2021 to $4.35 million in 2022. As a result, there’s a great deal of focus on small business cybersecurity, but it’s important to remember that even the U.S. government is not invulnerable to attacks.
Recently, the government has taken steps to beef up its cybersecurity budget – something we recommend to everyone as experts in cybersecurity in Miami.
Here’s what you need to know about the government’s latest move.
What the Government is Doing About Cybersecurity
In June of this year, House appropriators marked up a dozen bills for next year (2023) that would deliver at least $15.6 billion in cybersecurity funds across federal agencies and departments.
These funds would be mainly allocated to:
- The Defense Department, which would receive $11.2 billion
- The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which would receive $2.9 billion
In a statement, House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro said that these investments would help prevent “increasingly pervasive cyber-attacks.”
The current administration has been focusing on improving preventative cybersecurity measures and the way private businesses share information with government agencies. The government has also been encouraging businesses to take a “zero-trust” stance, which assumes that anyone accessing a computer network could be a threat.
The increase in funds comes after cyberattacks in 2020 and 2021 left federal government agencies and departments – as well as hundreds of businesses – scrambling to protect themselves.
In May 2021, federal agencies were ordered to raise their cybersecurity standards. These funds would allow CISA to reach its goals of adopting higher standards.
Funds would be invested in:
- Endpoint detection
- Diagnostics and mitigation
- Other cyber services
CISA and the Defense Department aren’t the only ones benefiting from these funds. House appropriators have also addressed cybersecurity funding needs for the following departments:
- Energy, which would receive $205 million. The funds would be used by the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency response to secure the country’s energy infrastructure against threats.
- Treasury, which would receive $135 million. The funds would be used to invest in information technology improvements.
- Health, which would receive $132 million. The funds would be used to improve the department’s cybersecurity stance.
- Transportation, which would receive $48 million for cybersecurity work.
- Federal judiciary, which would receive $128 million. The funds would be used to improve cybersecurity, judiciary security and the modernization of information technology.
Other departments will also receive part of the funding to boost their cybersecurity standards and measures.
Lawmakers have also asked the Pentagon to collaborate more with CISA. The Defense Department has the most cybersecurity experts in the government. The U.S. Cyber Command alone, which is part of the Department of Defense, has 133 Cyber Mission Forces conducting defensive cyber missions. Five more teams will be added in 2023.
The U.S. government appears to be taking cybersecurity even more seriously, especially after the recent attacks in 2020 and 2021. With cyberattacks becoming an increasing threat for government agencies and businesses alike, it’s more important than ever to invest in cybersecurity measures.