The White House’s "Progress" Report on Cybersecurity: There’s A Long Road Ahead

Lest one question the severity of the evolving challenges in our rapidly growing cyber world, President Obama has crystallized it succinctly: (1) "cyber threat is one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation;" and (2) "America's economic prosperity in the 21st century will depend on cybersecurity." In other words, President Obama has declared cybersecurity to be a national security priority.

While that's obviously good news, the follow-up question is "how are we doing in meeting the associated demands?" Regrettably, not so well it seems. Speaking before cybersecurity and privacy experts from government, law enforcement, the private sector, academia, and privacy and civil liberties groups, President Obama, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Cyber Coordinator Howard Schmidt and other Administration officials uniformly acknowledged that far more work needs to be done to protect digital