White House: Federal Computers Vulnerable to Cyberattacks

cybersecurity

A new White House directive outlines nearly 300 cybersecurity holes that leave the federal government’s antiquated computer systems susceptible to cyberattacks, according to a Thursday (Nov. 11) Wall Street Journal report.  

Some of the shortcomings addressed in President Biden’s directive this week detail the need to update or replace outdated versions of software — some of which have not been regularly updated for years and others which offer only limited protection against hackers, according to the report. Biden set Nov. 17 as the target date for fixing the more significant issues and May 3, 2022, for less pressing matters.

Cybersecurity has remained a concern for the Biden administration. In August, President Biden met with CEOs from several of the largest U.S. technology firms, including Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon and IBM to garner support for hefty cybersecurity investments, according to PYMNTS. Calling cybersecurity a “core national security challenge,” Biden called on the companies to help the federal government “meet this challenge.” 

See also: Tech CEOs Vow To Fight Cyber Crime With Billions Following Biden Meeting 

Google vowed to support cybersecurity efforts with $10 billion through 2026. Microsoft pledged $20 billion, including $150 million in tech services to help local governments strengthen their cybersecurity. IBM plans to have 150,000 workers trained in cybersecurity by 2024. Apple intends to create a program to boost the tech supply chain, while Amazon will make its in-house cybersecurity training available to the public.  

The effort between the Biden administration and tech companies will center on handling ransomware and cyberattacks on cloud-computing providers, according to PYMNTS. Ultimately, the government hopes to bolster defense planning and information sharing between the government and tech companies. 

Read more: Feds Turn To Big Tech To Fight Cybercrime 

In July, the Biden administration launched a new U.S. ransomware task force, which offers rewards of up to $10 million for information that identifies cyber criminals, according to PYMNTS.

There are reportedly ransomware attacks every 11 seconds. In addition, there have been 4,000 daily attacks in the U.S. since 2016, according to Cybersecurity Ventures. 

Related: White House Ransomware Task Force Tries To Stem The Tide Of Attacks