White House Releases Cyber Strategy

The White House on Monday released the US International Strategy for Cyberspace. The “landmark document” sets out to explain US cyberspace policy, including how the United States intends to enhance security and “safeguard openness in our increasingly networked world,” said Howard Schmidt, White House cybersecurity coordinator. “The International Strategy lays out the President’s vision for the future of the Internet, and sets an agenda for partnering with other nations and peoples to achieve that vision,” said Schmidt. The strategy is based on seven policy priorities: economic engagement, cybersecurity, law enforcement, military cooperation, multiple-stakeholder Internet governance, development, and Internet freedom. “It is hard to overstate the importance of cyberspace in the Department of Defense or the need to engage our allies and partners to keep it secure,” said Deputy Defense Secretary Bill Lynn. “Department of Defense networks are probed millions of times a day, and more than 100 foreign intelligence agencies have tried to penetrate our networks or those of our industrial base.” (White House blog entry) (White House fact sheet) (Cyberspace strategy full document; caution, large-sized file) (AFPS report by Cheryl Pellerin)