DHS Secretary Plans to Make ‘Tangible Recruitments’ in Cyber
Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson Carlos Osorio/AP
Jeh Johnson also said DHS wants “to encourage the tech sector to partner with Muslim communities” to provide a “countermessage to the message of the Islamic State.”
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told an advisory committee on Thursday he planned to make “tangible recruitments” to boost DHS’ cybersecurity capabilities before he leaves office.
During a Homeland Security Advisory Committee meeting, where members from the public and private sectors advise the secretary on topics including cybersecurity, Johnson briefed attendees on the department’s recent efforts to bolster federal cybersecurity. That includes expanding the Einstein 3A system that monitors, detects and blocks virtual intrusions.
Einstein 3A currently covers about half of civilian dot-gov sites, Johnson said.
“We are in a position to build even more, to get to 100 percent,” he added. “It’s now available, and I have let my cabinet counterparts know that, and we have challenged them to get online with [Einstein 3A.]”
He added that DHS is now able to share cyberthreat indicators with outside groups in real time, and he praised legislation passed last month that encourages businesses to share threat information with DHS.
Earlier in the meeting, Johnson said DHS wants “to encourage the tech sector to partner with Muslim communities” to provide a “countermessage to the message of the Islamic State.”