Unplugged and Unprepared: The Cybersecurity Comedy of Underfunded Government Agencies
When you hear “government cybersecurity agency,” you probably picture secret agents or high-tech command centers. But behind the scenes, underfunded agencies like NIST are essential cogs in the cybersecurity machine. If we want to keep our digital edge, Congress must allocate resources to these unsung heroes of the cybersecurity ecosystem.
Hot Take:
Oh, the irony of keeping our digital kingdom secure with an agency that has the budget of a lemonade stand! If we continue to underfund the unsung heroes of cybersecurity, we might as well hand over the keys to the kingdom to cybercriminals. I mean, how else will the National Vulnerabilities Database (NVD) keep up with the hackers—by asking them politely to wait while they rummage for change in the couch cushions?
Key Points:
- NVD is a critical cybersecurity resource that tracks software and hardware vulnerabilities.
- NIST, underfunded and overworked, stopped enriching NVD entries temporarily, leading to increased cyber risks.
- Underfunding of government cybersecurity agencies is a widespread issue with potentially severe consequences.
- Relying on continuing resolutions for funding exacerbates the problem, limiting agencies’ capabilities.
- Appropriate resource allocation is crucial to maintain US leadership in global cybersecurity.