CYBERSECURITY ACTION PLAN
BETWEEN PUBLIC SAFETY CANADA
AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
INTRODUCTION
Public Safety (PS) Canada and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are pursuing a coordinated
approach to enhance the resiliency of our cyber infrastructure. The Cybersecurity Action Plan (the
Action Plan) between PS and DHS seeks to enhance the cybersecurity of our nations through increased
integration of PS’ and DHS’ respective national cybersecurity activities and improved collaboration with
the private sector. This Action Plan represents just one of many important efforts between Canada and
the United States to deepen our already strong bilateral cybersecurity cooperation.
As the Internet knows no borders, all countries have a responsibility to prevent, respond to, and recover
from cyber disruptions and to make cyberspace safer for all citizens across the globe. Due to a shared
physical border, Canada and the United States have an additional mutual interest in partnering to
protect our shared infrastructure. This Action Plan aims to articulate a shared approach to fulfill PS’ and
DHS’ vision of working together to defend and protect our use of cyberspace and to strengthen the
resiliency of our nations. These efforts, combined, advance the objectives articulated by President
Obama and Prime Minister Harper in the February 2011 declaration, Beyond the Border: A Vision for
Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness.
This Action Plan outlines three goals for improved engagement, collaboration, and information sharing
at the operational and strategic levels, with the private sector, and in public awareness activities, for
activities conducted by PS and DHS. The Action Plan establishes lines of communication and areas for
collaborative work critical to enhancing the cybersecurity preparedness of both nations. The Action
Plan’s goals and objectives are to be conducted in accordance with the June 2012 Statement of Privacy
Principles by the United States and Canada. This Action Plan is intended to remain a living document to
be reviewed on a regular basis and updated as needed to support new requirements that align to the
Plan’s key goals and objectives. It intends to support and inform current and future efforts to advance
the goals of Beyond the Border, which ultimately seeks to enhance broad bilateral cooperation on
cybersecurity efforts across both governments.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
1. Enhanced Cyber Incident Management Collaboration between National Cybersecurity Operations
Centers
PS’ Canadian Cyber Incident Response Centre intends to work jointly with DHS’ United States Computer
Emergency Readiness Team and Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team towards
the following objectives:
1.1
Increase real‐time collaboration between analysts by improving existing channels for remote
communication and arranging in‐person visits;
Cybersecurity Action Plan Between Public Safety Canada and the Department of Homeland Security
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