The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently unveiled a comprehensive plan aimed at enhancing the collective operational defense capabilities of federal agencies in order to mitigate cyber risks. This plan emphasizes the need for a more unified and robust approach to cybersecurity, improved communication channels, and increased agility and resilience within the federal government.
Traditionally, federal agencies have developed their own cybersecurity defenses based on specific threats they face, resulting in a wide disparity in their risk management effectiveness. This lack of cohesive security posture leaves agencies vulnerable to cyber threats, despite their investments in cybersecurity measures.
CISA stressed the importance of collective operational defense in reducing risks to over 100 Federal Civilian Executive Branch (FCEB) agencies and addressing the evolving cybersecurity threats to government services and data. The Federal Civilian Executive Branch (FCEB) Operational Cybersecurity Alignment (FOCAL) plan outlined by CISA provides a strategic framework for federal agencies to enhance their cybersecurity posture through organized concepts and tactical guidance. The plan spans across five key areas: asset management, vulnerability management, defensible architecture, cyber supply chain risk management, and incident response.
While the FOCAL plan sets collective security goals for federal agencies, it does not provide an exhaustive list of tasks that agencies must undertake. According to CISA’s executive assistant director for cybersecurity, Jeff Greene, the plan aims to guide FCEB agencies towards effective and collaborative operational cybersecurity to strengthen their resilience against cyber threats.
Security experts like John Vecchi from Phosphorus Security view the essential components of the FOCAL plan as promising. However, implementing these basics across agencies with varying levels of cyber maturity and culture poses challenges. Vecchi highlighted the need for agency IT teams to have the necessary staff, knowledge, and skills to deploy and operationalize the technologies and processes outlined in the plan.
Moreover, the sheer volume of security tools required to implement various elements of the plan could overwhelm agency security teams. Patching and vulnerability management, crucial aspects of cybersecurity, present difficulties when executed at scale. Vecchi also pointed out that a significant portion of assets across federal agencies comprise smart devices, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, operational technology, and embedded systems that often lack adequate security measures.
Resource allocation and cultural differences among agencies further complicate the implementation of the FOCAL plan. Collaborating effectively within a single agency is challenging enough, let alone coordinating across multiple distinct agencies with diverse networks and operational structures. Vecchi emphasized the hurdles that agencies may face in aligning their cybersecurity practices and overcoming the disparate challenges posed by their unique environments.
In conclusion, while the FOCAL plan offers a strategic framework for enhancing federal agencies’ cybersecurity, the road to implementation is fraught with challenges. Overcoming existing disparities in cybersecurity maturity, allocating resources effectively, and fostering collaboration among diverse agencies will be crucial in realizing the collective defense capabilities envisioned by CISA.