FEDERAL CYBERSECURITY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN (2019) Priority Areas To advance the objectives of the Administration’s 2018 National Cyber Strategy and FY 2021 Research and Development Budget Priorities Memorandum and tackle emerging or existing cybersecurity challenges that require coordinated, multiagency research efforts, this Plan identifies six areas for priority R&D. These Federal cybersecurity R&D priorities are not the exclusive domains where R&D is needed; additional cybersecurity R&D is needed for capabilities important to specific agencies or government missions. Advances in the priority areas will also strengthen cybersecurity across all four defensive capabilities, as illustrated in Table 1. Table 1. Priority areas and their impact on cybersecurity Deter Priority Areas Artificial Intelligence  Quantum Information Science Trustworthy Distributed Digital Infrastructure Privacy Secure Hardware and Software Education and Workforce Development  Defensive Elements Protect Detect Respond              Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence enables computers and other automated systems to perform tasks that have historically required human cognition and what are typically considered human decision-making abilities, as noted in the National Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Strategic Plan: 2019 Update. 9 In view of the substantial growth in interest and investment worldwide in applications of AI technologies, the 2017 National Security Strategy of the United States of America 10 calls for increased R&D investment in AI. In February 2019, the President issued an Executive Order on Maintaining American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence whose objectives include advancing AI R&D as a national objective, preserving privacy, protecting confidentiality, maintaining safety and security, developing AI technical standards to minimize cyberattacks, and cultivating public trust in AI technologies.11 In support of the Executive Order, the National Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Strategic Plan: 2019 Update defines the priority areas for Federal investments in AI R&D. AI has significant potential impacts on national economy and security; it is thus essential to guard AI technologies from unintended uses and hostile exploitations by leveraging cybersecurity practices. The emerging threats posed by AI-enhanced autonomous systems deserve serious attention. Conversely, AI techniques are expected to enhance cybersecurity by either automating certain routine tasks or assisting human system managers to monitor, analyze, and respond to adversarial threats to cyber systems. This Plan highlights the mutual needs and benefits of AI and cybersecurity. 9 10 11 https://www.nitrd.gov/pubs/National-AI-RD-Strategy-2019.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/NSS-Final-12-18-2017-0905.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-maintaining-american-leadershipartificial-intelligence/ – 11 –