The United States Department of State said on Monday that it would establish cyberspace and digital policy bureau to combat ransomware attacks and a worldwide fall in digital freedom.
Impact of Data Breach, Ransomware Attack
Per Newsweek, according to a recent analysis from Verizon, the average cost of a data breach for businesses increased to $21,659 per occurrence during the pandemic, with most cases ranging from $800 to more than $650,000. However, 5 percent of successful attacks cost $1 million or more to firms.
Rather than exploiting holes in computer code, over 85 percent of effective data breaches involved tricking people. Although exact strategies differ by industry, the wireless carrier discovered that schemes that aim to steal login credentials, such as phishing scams, account for 61 percent of all data breaches.
Meanwhile, since many people working from home were utilizing unprotected personal cellphones and laptops, the significant shift to remote employment during the pandemic has provided a big new target for cyber crooks, according to a published article in CBS News.
Price Announces the Creation of the Bureau
During a news briefing, agency spokesperson Ned Price said that the new bureau will be led by a Senate-confirmed ambassador-at-large. In addition, Price announced the appointment of a special envoy on crucial and emerging technologies.
The new bureau will concentrate on problems related to international cybersecurity, such as deterrence and policy creation. It will also feature a division devoted to digital policy, as well as a division dedicated to digital freedom and online human rights protection, according to a report published in The Wall Street Journal.
Furthermore, the envoy's main responsibility will be to shape international policy in areas like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, and other sectors.
Cybercrime Complaints Increase
As more Americans turned to remote work in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, more people and organizations became targets of cyberattacks. According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), about 792,000 cybercrime complaints were submitted in 2020, up 300,000 from the year before.
While the IC3 figures for 2021 have yet to be released, the year has witnessed a number of high-profile assaults on prominent corporations, including the JBS Holdings and Colonial Pipeline Company attacks in May. Microsoft reported this week that it had been hacked by Nobelium, the Russian hacker outfit behind the SolarWinds assault in 2020.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken's belief that America had entered a "fundamentally new era in global affairs" led to the founding of the agency. Addressing these technical improvements, according to the government, is critical to future effective international collaboration and competitiveness with the nation's friends and enemies.
Justice Department Forms a Ransomware Attack Task Force
The Justice Department established a ransomware task force and a cryptocurrency enforcement team in April to help the government combat hacker gangs that target American businesses and key infrastructure, according to a report published in Reuters.
Chris Painter, the State Department's former top cybersecurity officer, said the department's cyber structure needs a thorough rethink. While he is concerned about the new bureau's workload, he views its establishment as a positive step forward.
