Johns Hopkins Expert: National Cybersecurity Strategy Neglects Public Awareness

Newswise — The Biden administration released Thursday its first national cybersecurity strategy which seeks to hold software companies liable for their products lacking cyber protection. The plan also proposes increased regulations to secure critical systems like electrical grids and nuclear reactors against cyberattacks.

The strategy is a step in the right direction but it doesn’t address the public’s role in cybersecurity, according to Johns Hopkins University information security expert Anton Dahbura.

“The Biden administration’s strategy doesn’t place enough emphasis on public awareness, and in fact may give the false impression that individuals will be taken care of by the providers of the technology and that users no longer need to worry,” said Dahbura. “The fact is that for the foreseeable future the first line of defense in many cyberattacks is the individual user, who needs to continue to take care to not click on links from unknown sources and not provide security information freely.”

Dahbura is the executive director of the Johns Hopkins University Information Security Institute and co-director of the Johns Hopkins Institute of Assured Autonomy.