CISA Cybersecurity. Have you ever heard of the term?
In today’s daily life, we are all very dependent on cyberspace. This includes our economic life and national security. Because of this, many cybersecurity risks need to be addressed.
This is because cyberspace is very weak to a lot of risks. This is both from physical and cyber threats.
Many ill-willed people seek to steal information and money. Also, they aim to disturb, destroy, and threaten the delivery of important services.
So, that’s why it is important to have a stable, safe, and resilient cyberspace. This is to protect our data, identity, and on a bigger scale, our nation.
As a result, the USA’s CISA has been born. But what is it? And what are the roles it needs to play to help with cybersecurity risks?
CISA Cybersecurity
CISA or Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. US President Donald Trump signed into law the CISA Act of 2018 on the 16th of November.
This is a “rebranding” of the National Protection and Programs Directorate or NPPD. And, this new federal agency was born to protect the nation’s critical infrastructure.
To do this, CISA needs to protect it from any form of physical and cyber threats. Its mission is to “build the national capacity to defend against cyber attacks.”
Also, they need to work with the federal government to make sure they:
- provide cybersecurity tools
- give incident response services
- secure assessment capabilities
This is to make sure they safeguard the ‘.gov’ networks that support important operations. For both partner departments and agencies.
Also, CISA has two chief centers. These two are important for the delivery of the agency’s mission.
The first one is the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center or NCCIC. Then, the second is the National Risk Management Center or NRMC.
The NCCIC handles these areas:
- providing 24/7 cyber-situational awareness
- analysis
- incident response
- cyber-defense capabilities…
…to the federal government, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments. They also provide these to the private sector and international partners.
Then, the NRMC handles the:
- planning
- analysis
- collaboration…
…to know and address the most important risks to the nation’s critical infrastructure.
Also, CISA oversees different offices under it. These are the:
- Federal Protective Service (FPS)
- Office of Cyber and Infrastructure Analysis (OCIA)
- Office of Cybersecurity & Communications (OC&C)
- And Office of Infrastructure Protection (OIP)
More About CISA
So, with it becoming a federal agency, CISA is now on par with other agencies. Like the Secret Service or Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Christopher Kerbs is CISA’s first deputy director. He is then replaced by Matthew Travis, NPDD’s former deputy undersecretary.
The agency’s 2020 budget amounted up to $3.17 Billion.
CISA is also working with the private sector. It’s because the critical infrastructures in the USA are owned and operated by them.
They see working with them as central to their mission. Because neither the government nor the private sector alone has the knowledge to do it. Neither also has the resources or authority alone.
Conclusion
CISA is a solution given on time to protect the USA’s cyberspace. We’ll see what its future holds and what that means for us.
