U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently announced a new international cyber strategy aimed at ensuring a secure, open, and vibrant technological future. This announcement was made at the RSA cybersecurity conference in San Francisco, where Blinken outlined the U.S. government’s plan to engage with the global community on various technological security issues. The strategy, detailed in a 54-page document, sets out to collaborate with allies, partners, and stakeholders worldwide to influence the design, development, and governance of cyberspace and digital technologies.
The strategy delineates four primary goals: advancing economic prosperity, enhancing security against cybercrime, promoting human rights and the rule of law, and addressing transnational challenges. To achieve these objectives, the U.S. intends to build solid coalitions of governments, businesses, and civil society to shape every level of the technology ‘stack,’ from telecommunications infrastructure to cloud services and artificial intelligence. The approach emphasizes creating an inclusive and resilient digital ecosystem that respects individual rights and promotes responsible state behavior in cyberspace.
Amid ongoing cyber threats from state actors like Russia and China, the strategy also highlights the importance of defending against and countering malicious cyber activities. It criticizes these countries for promoting a governance model of the internet that emphasizes domestic control and state-centric mechanisms, challenging the existing multi-stakeholder processes that the U.S. supports. The document stresses the need for more cooperation among allied countries around rights-respecting digital and data governance and outlines efforts to promote an open, secure, and resilient digital environment.
To support nations victimized by cyberattacks, the strategy plans to expand U.S. assistance, similar to the support previously provided to Ukraine, Costa Rica, and Albania. This includes initiatives like U.S. Cyber Command’s hunt forward missions and the Joint Ransomware Task Force, aiming to enhance the capacity of these nations to manage and recover from cyber incidents. Overall, the U.S. seeks to foster a global digital landscape that aligns with its strategic, security, economic, and foreign policy interests, ensuring a cooperative approach to managing emerging cyber threats and advancing technological innovation.
