Cybersecurity priorities 2025: Biden's approach to investment and defense

The Biden administration recently outlined cybersecurity budget priorities for the 2025 fiscal year. The document, sent Tuesday to executive departments and agencies, intends to link cybersecurity investments to the five pillars of the national cybersecurity strategy, published today. beginning of March.

Spending priorities and critical infrastructure

The document, signed by Acting National Cybersecurity Director Kemba Walden and Director of the Office of Management and Budget Shalanda Young, advises federal agencies to prioritize critical infrastructure defense spending, decommissioning and destruction. of threat actors, software designed with intrinsic security, resilience and international partnerships. "Agency investments should lead to long-term solutions that are safe by design," wrote Shalanda and Walden.

Government liability and the software supply chain

Despite government efforts to curb cybercrime, ransomware activity and risk remain high. Threat actors exploit software vulnerabilities to trap multiple victims downstream, sometimes including federal agencies. The memorandum suggests that federal agency budgets should leverage government purchasing power to improve accountability in the software supply chain and strengthen inter-agency advocacy. The national cybersecurity strategy underlines the need to rebalance the responsibility to defend cyberspace.

Fight against ransomware and national security

The paper also addresses the Biden administration's ongoing efforts to address ransomware, which it calls a threat to national security, public safety, and economic prosperity. The administration pledges to launch disruption campaigns and other efforts so coordinated and targeted that ransomware is no longer profitable. Agencies with responsibility for stopping ransomware are encouraged to submit budgets that prioritize staff resources to investigate ransomware, disrupt ransomware infrastructure, and participate in interagency task forces focused on cybercrime.