Cybersecurity Policy Report, Biden’s Budget Would Boost Cyber Spending in 2025, (Mar 11, 2024)
A proposed budget blueprint for fiscal year 2025 released today by the White House seeks to increase cyber spending at several federal agencies in line with the initiatives called for in the president’s National Cybersecurity Strategy.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency would receive $3 billion in FY 2025 under the proposed budget, a $103 million increase over the amount CISA received for FY 2023.
Full-year FY 2024 appropriations legislation for some departments and agencies, including the Homeland Security and Justice departments, has not yet been enacted.
The funding increase for CISA would “make U.S. cyberspace more resilient and secure,” according to the president’s budget, by providing $470 million to deploy cybersecurity tools in agencies’ networks, including endpoint detection and response capabilities, $394 million for CISA’s internal cybersecurity and analytical capabilities, and $41 million for critical infrastructure security coordination.
CISA would receive $116 million to support its efforts to implement the 2022 Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act, which requires CISA, by September 2025, to publish rules identifying critical infrastructure entities that will be required to report significant cyber incidents to CISA and the types of incidents that should be reported. CISA expects to publish a notice of proposed rulemaking this month (CPR, April 27, 2023).
The Federal Bureau of Investigation would receive an additional $25 million for “cyber and counterintelligence investigative capabilities,” according to the president’s budget, and the Justice Department’s National Security Division would receive $5 million to expand a new program to focus on cyber threats.
The budget proposal also aims to improve the cyber defenses of the health care sector with funding increases for the Department of Health and Human Services. “Cyber attacks on the healthcare system disrupt patient care and put patient safety at risk, and the healthcare system continues to be a target for cyber criminals,” according to a White House fact sheet.
“Through proposed changes to Medicare, funding is available to bolster HHS’s cybersecurity efforts, including $800 million to help high-need, low-resourced hospitals cover the upfront costs associated with implementing essential cybersecurity practices, and $500 million for an incentive program to encourage all hospitals to invest in advanced cybersecurity practices,” it says.
“The Budget also provides $141 million to continue strengthening HHS’s ability to protect and defend HHS systems and information while supporting the Healthcare and Public Health Sector, including $11 million to expand and enhance HHS’s capacity to protect the privacy and security of health information through Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 modernization,” according to the budget.
“In line with the National Cybersecurity Strategy that emphasizes a whole-of-Nation approach to addressing ongoing cyber threats, the Budget makes critical investments across the Federal government to protect and defend sensitive agency systems and information, including those designated as high-value assets, and to safeguard the American public’s sensitive data housed within these systems against future attacks,” the White House said.
The budget calls for $13 billion in total spending on cybersecurity at civilian executive branch agencies. “To protect against foreign adversaries and safeguard Federal systems, the Budget bolsters cybersecurity by ensuring every agency is increasing the security of public services,” it says. “To advance the Administration’s commitment to making cyberspace more resilient and defensible, the Budget provides $13 billion in cybersecurity funding across civilian departments and agencies.”
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