The United States has established a new ‘Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy’ (CDP) to address cyber-related threats and tackle emerging technology issues.
Hello world! As of today, we are the @StateDept’s newest bureau, responsible for leading U.S. diplomacy on cyber and digital policy issues. #cyberdiplomacy https://t.co/UYSLJZRHUQ
— Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy (@StateCDP) April 4, 2022
A statement released by the State Department on Monday said that the new division was established as part of Washington’s “modernisation agenda.” The CDP “will address the national security challenges, economic opportunities, and implications for US values associated with cyberspace, digital technologies, and digital policy,” the statement added.
The Department will consist of three policy units: international cyberspace security, international information and communications policy, and digital freedom.
The State Department states that the CDP will advocate for responsible state behaviour and take measures to “protect the integrity and security of the infrastructure of the Internet, serve US interests, promote competitiveness, and uphold democratic values.”
.@StateDeptSpox: Today, @SecBlinken formally launched the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy — the Department’s newest bureau, and a major step in realizing the Secretary’s vision for the modernization of American diplomacy and the Department. pic.twitter.com/afSpyRXHLW
— Department of State (@StateDept) April 4, 2022
“The CDP merges the security, the economics, [and] the values aspects of cyberspace into a single bureau,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said during a press briefing. Price later tweeted that “strengthening our cyber and tech diplomacy is a key piece of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s plan to build a department ready to meet the tests of the 21st century.”
Strengthening our cyber and tech diplomacy is a key piece of @SecBlinken’s plan to build a Department ready to meet the tests of the 21st century. https://t.co/jSLXAfyHDa
— Ned Price (@StateDeptSpox) April 4, 2022
In October last year, Blinken launched the ‘modernisation of American diplomacy initiative,’ which aims to modernise the State Department and turn it into an institution capable of meeting the challenges of the future. Blinken stated that the initiative will enable the State Department to focus more on 21st-century issues like cybersecurity, climate change, global health, and multilateral diplomacy.
In this regard, Blinken said the establishment of the new division will “ensure that the digital revolution happening around us serves our people, protects our interests, and upholds our values.”
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Moreover, the establishment of the CDP comes at a crucial moment for the US. According to a 2021 report by Canada’s signals intelligence agency, actors from China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia posed the biggest threat to global cybersecurity. The US has also expressed concerns about the growing capabilities of these three countries in the cyber domain and the threat they pose to the US mainland.
According to the US Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), China has been engaging in “malicious cyber activities” against the US for a long time and has targeted a variety of industries and organisations, including healthcare, financial services, aerospace and auto companies, defence industry bases, and education and law firms.
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The US’ 2021 Annual Threat Assessment notes that “China presents a prolific and effective cyber-espionage threat, possesses substantial cyber-attack capabilities, and presents a growing influence threat.” Recent incidents include attempts by Chinese government hackers to exploit vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange server products in April last year. Two months later, the US Justice Department indicted four Chinese nationals for attempting to hack into dozens of institutions, including government agencies.
CISA has also released threat overviews and advisories for the cyber activities of Iran, North Korea, and Russia against the US.
Against this backdrop, experts have noted that the establishment of the CDP means that Washington will have a dedicated agency to deal with cyber threats and suggest policies in this regard. Cyber security expert Tom Kellerman called the creation of the CDP “a historic step forward to create a collective defence of international cyberspace and to disrupt the activities of international crime cartels.”