Strengthening U.S. Cybersecurity Capabilities

Cyber-based intrusions and attacks on federal systems and systems supporting our nation's critical infrastructure, such as communications and financial services, are evolving and becoming more sophisticated. Until fiscal year 2016, the number of information security incidents reported by federal agencies to the Department of Homeland Security's U. S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team had steadily increased each year. From fiscal year 2006 through fiscal year 2015, reported security incidents increased from 5,503 to 77,183, an increase of 1,303 percent. The Government Accountability Office has consistently identified shortcomings in the federal government's approach to ensuring the security of federal information systems and cyber critical infrastructure as well as its approach to protecting the privacy of personally identifiable information. Federal agencies and our nation's critical infrastructures-such as energy, transportation systems, communications, and financial services-are dependent on computerized (cyber) information systems and electronic data to carry out operations and to process, maintain, and report essential information. The security of these systems and data is vital to public confidence and the nation's safety, prosperity, and well-being.