The release of the 2024 White House budget proposal demonstrates the administration’s emphasis on enhancing and modernizing the federal government’s cybersecurity posture. Zero trust, secure by design, and equipping the cybersecurity workforce with proper training and technologies are among the leading priorities outlined in the administration’s cybersecurity priorities for the next fiscal year.
Rapid Change and Foreign Threats
On the heels of last year’s cybersecurity executive order (May 2021), which set out a government-wide mandate for agencies to adopt more robust security frameworks, the budget proposal asks Congress for $10.9 billion for civilian cybersecurity and IT spending – an increase of about $1 billion over last year’s budget.
Motivating this funding increase is an urgency to safeguard the nation’s critical infrastructure from two twin challenges: the exceptional rate of technological advancements, and the cyber threats emanating out of Russia in the wake of the unprecedented barrage of economic sanctions. The administration has warned U.S. agencies and businesses across industries to strengthen the security of their critical systems and applications, a response to intelligence that suggests Moscow may be planning a significant and sustained cyberattack.
As the cyber prowess of adversaries grows, along with rapid technological and computing advancements, the budget proposal stresses a need to address root structural issues (the modernization of aging technology stacks), boost cyber capabilities, and collaborate and coordinate across agencies to continue delivering the critical services that the American people and government rely on.
Who Gets What from the 2024 White House Budget Proposal
Unsurprisingly, the Department of Homeland Security benefits from the largest share of cyber spending for 2023 at $2.6 billion. Almost $1.3 billion will head to the Justice Department. The Coast Guard, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Department of Veterans Affairs will all see funding boosts to defend federal infrastructure and improve service delivery.
The Treasury Department, specifically their “Cybersecurity Enhancement Account,” will receive $215 million to protect and defend the trillions of dollars that flow through its systems. Those high-value assets are subject to near constant malicious attacks from across the globe.
The budget proposal includes an additional $36 million for information and communications technology (ICT) supply chain resilience. Funding to safeguard election integrity is included. Even Ukraine will receive $682 million in funding to counter Russian influence and combat disinformation, cybersecurity threats, and economic destabilization.
Secure Your Systems and Data
The White House has directed all agencies to adopt a “zero trust” posture by the end of 2024, where every stage of a digital interaction is continuously validated and secured. This positions agencies and their supporting contractors to more rapidly detect, isolate, and respond to unauthorized intrusions or cyber threats.
Cybersecurity is advancing rapidly and the budget to protect critical infrastructure is there. Is your agency fully prepared and equipped? Get in touch with GovDataHosting to discuss our single-source approach to full-service, managed government cybersecurity compliance (SECaaS). We’ll help you move faster than the threats – protecting your organization against new exploits that would otherwise put your systems and data at risk.
