Institute: Better coordination needed for cybersecurity R&D

The Institute for Information Infrastructure Protection (I3P) today released recommendations that included improved coordination for cybersecurity research and development efforts.

The I3P, a consortium of cybersecurity institutions that include academic research centers, government laboratories and nonprofit organizations, made those recommendations in a report to Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), the chairman and ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

The senators served as honorary co-chairs of I3P forums held last fall that also had representatives from industry, government and academia that developed the recommendations.

In addition to better coordination, the group said research and development efforts should focus on:

• Developing metrics for assessing systems' security.
• Creating an effective domestic and international legal and policy framework for cybersecurity.
• Improving cybersecurity by understanding human behavior and motivation.

“The new administration has a major opportunity to direct and coordinate cybersecurity research and development efforts in ways that could provide protection from threats in the near term,” the report states. “This report is intended to provide informed suggestions as a path forward is determined.”