Forbes Statement on Report That U.S. Cybersecurity Falls Short - American Chronicle

Congressman J. Randy Forbes released the following statement after the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report that said the United States approach to global cybersecurity falls short:

"Serious cyberattacks are happening against the United States this very moment. Yet, according to this report by the GAO, there is still no coherent plan stating who is in charge and what our goals are as a nation in terms of cybersecurity. Make no mistake, the global aspects of cyberspace present key challenges for our nation. We must make our cybersecurity a national priority by implementing a lasting national strategy now. Until we do so, the United States will be at a disadvantage in protecting its national interests in the realm of cyberspace."

Among the findings in its report, the GAO stated that "A number of U.S. federal entities have responsibilities for, and are involved in, cyberspace governance and security efforts," yet it is still not abundantly clear who is in charge. The GAO identifies the development of a comprehensive national strategy as one of the critical challenges for the United States moving forward.

According to data from the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team at the Department of Homeland Security, the number of cybersecurity incidents reported by federal agencies is rising dramatically: 5,503 (2006); 13,029 (2007); 16,483 (2008); 29,999 (2009). A 2009 Report to Congress of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission states that a large body of both circumstantial and forensic evidence strongly indicates Chinese state involvement in egregious cyber actions targeting U.S. government- and defense-related information.

Congressman Randy Forbes is founder and chairman of the Congressional China Caucus and Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee.