Home Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC)

Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC)

Aug 5–Cyber security and infrastructure security director, Jen Easterly, publicly announced the launch of a new cyber defense center. The Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC) will pursue a proactive approach to cyber security issues. The JCDC group has been tasked with creating and implementing whole-of-nation cyber defense plans.

The JCDC will also aim to increase collaboration and engagement around cyber security. Objectives include facilitating information sharing, enabling fluid understandings of national cyber security challenges and opportunities. The partners will also support one another in joint exercises to enhance defense capabilities.

In addition, the JCDC will better position federal agencies and partners to design new approaches and to execute on action items.

Partners involved in CISA’s new center will include:

  • The US Department of Defense
  • US Cyber Command
  • The National Security Agency
  • The Department of Justice
  • The FBI
  • Federal interagency employees
  • State, local, tribal territorial government stakeholders
  • The private sector

A series of major enterprises, ranging from Amazon Web Services to Microsoft to Verizon have agreed to sponsor the center.

Jen Easterly on the initiative

Easterly noted that past alignment efforts have floundered. However, Jen Easterly promised to breathe “new life” into these efforts.

“Imagination brings us innovation. Imagination enables resilience,” asserted Easterly. “Imagination makes us better leaders. Imagination makes us better problem solvers.” And so too, “Imagination makes better hackers.”

Cyber attacks in 2021

Across the past seven months, federal groups and industry partners alike have witnessed a substantial increase in damaging cyber attacks. One such attack disrupted critical infrastructure operations, in turn leading to lost business opportunities and higher fuel prices for American consumers.

As a community, organizations both domestic and international can defend against cyber intrusions. The JCDC announcement coincides with the development of a new bill that would force certain industry sectors to report cyber security breaches to CISA within a 24 hour window.

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