The co-chairs of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC) have praised the annual U.S. National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for incorporating recommendations from their 2020 report, stating that the defense bill represents meaningful progress for cybersecurity. Once the $886 billion defense spending bill becomes law, nearly 70% of the commission’s recommendations will have been enacted. The NDAA includes measures such as launching a pilot program for a Civilian Cybersecurity Reserve and enhancing the cybersecurity of systems supporting the nuclear command, control, and communications mission.
The bill also addresses priorities like testing the cyber resiliency of military installations, increasing cybersecurity cooperation with Taiwan, and initiating a continuity of the economy plan in case of a destructive cyberattack. The NDAA, recently approved by the House and Senate, sets annual defense priorities and authorizes spending levels. President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill after lawmakers remove controversial measures. The co-chairs of the CSC commend the focus on bolstering cyber resiliency in the nuclear command mission and note that the NDAA gets the ball rolling on establishing a continuity of the economy plan in the event of a significant cyber disruption.
The CSC, launched under a previous defense bill, has advocated for strategic approaches to defending the U.S. in cyberspace and made over 80 recommendations in its 2020 report, with 58 becoming law through this year’s NDAA. The NDAA’s enactment of CSC recommendations signifies a concerted effort to address the growing challenges in cyberspace, recognizing the importance of cybersecurity across various domains, including military operations, critical infrastructure protection, and economic continuity. The CSC’s ongoing commitment to advocating for robust cyber defenses aligns with the evolving nature of cyber threats and the need for comprehensive strategies to safeguard national security interests.
