On July 7, 2015, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced its creation of the Cybersecurity Leadership Council [1] to “promote cybersecurity policy that advances the adoption of best practices and market-based solutions.” Specifically, the Cybersecurity Leadership Counsel will create “collaboration between government and the private sector in order to improve our nation’s cybersecurity policy.” Previously, the Chamber of Commerce’s “Cybersecurity Campaign” identified the following “hurdles [2]” that “stand in the way of meaningful changes” in cybersecurity:
- Congressional gridlock.
- Appropriate roles of government entities in private-public partnerships.
- Lack of information sharing regarding threats between government and industry.
- Cyberattacks against U.S. businesses owing to a lack of credible deterrence.
- Misalignment of international cyber regimes.
- Demand for cybersecurity personnel outstripping supply.
The Cybersecurity Leadership Counsel will try to overcome these “hurdles” through a “collaboration between government and the private sector in order to improve our nation’s cybersecurity policy.”
Leadership Council members include: Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, American Gas Association, American Petroleum Institute, ASIS International, BlackBerry, CTIA-The Wireless Association, Duke Energy, Dynology, Edison Electric Institute, Food Marketing Institute, Juniper Networks, National Cable & Telecommunications Association, NCI Building Systems Inc., Prescient Solutions, Retail Industry Leaders Association, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Inc., Southern Company, Splunk Inc., The Boeing Company, J.P. Morgan Chase, and US Telecom Association.
Attempts by state and federal government to create uniform cybersecurity policies have stalled [3] despite the ever-growing threat created by inadequate cybersecurity. The Cybersecurity Leadership Council’s identification of the “hurdles” and collaboration to overcome these “hurdles” is a step in the right direction. We will continue to advise of all developments related to this collaboration on cybersecurity.