EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
Our nation is at a moment of opportunity. The 2023 U.S. National Cybersecurity Strategy
outlines a new vision for cybersecurity, a vision grounded in collaboration, in innovation, and in
accountability. Now is the moment where our country has a choice: to invest in a future where
collaboration is a default rather than an exception; where innovation in defense and resilience
dramatically outpaces that of those seeking to do us harm; and where the burden of
cybersecurity is allocated toward those who are most able to bear it. We must be clear-eyed
about the future we seek, one in which damaging cyber intrusions are a shocking anomaly, in
which organizations are secure and resilient, in which technology products are safe and
secure by design and default. This is a shared journey and a shared challenge, and CISA, as
America’s cyber defense agency, is privileged to serve a foundational role in the global
cybersecurity community as we achieve measurable progress to our shared end state.
We know that the stakes are high. Our nation relies on connected technologies every hour of
every day to enable essential services, from drinking water to electricity to financial systems. In
recent years, this dependence has deepened even further, as many Americans now rely on
connectivity for most aspects of their daily lives. Malicious cyber actors recognize our
dependence on technology and constantly attempt to exploit this reliance for financial or
strategic gain. Too often, they succeed. Their success is enabled by an environment of
insecurity, in which our enterprises are too difficult to defend, and our technology products are
too vulnerable to protect.
But we also know the steps to take. We must change how we design and develop technology
products, such that exploitable conditions are uncommon and secure controls are enabled
before products reach the market. We must quickly detect adversaries, incidents, and
vulnerabilities, and enable timely mitigation before harm occurs. We must help organizations,
particularly those that are “target rich, resource poor,” take the fewest possible steps to drive
the most security impact. Recognizing that we will not prevent every intrusion, we must ensure
that our most essential services are resilient under all conditions, with particular focus on
under-resourced communities where loss of key services can have the greatest impact. Most
importantly, we must do it together, recognizing that true collaboration is the only path toward
a more secure future.
C I S A C Y B ER S EC U RI T Y ST R AT EG I C PL A N
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