In January 2008, the Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative (CNCI) was launched by President George W. Bush in National Security Presidential Directive 54/Homeland Security Presidential Directive 23 (NSPD-54/ HSPD-23).
Subsequently, President Obama identified cybersecurity as one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation, but one that we as a government or as a country are not adequately prepared to counter. Shortly after taking office, President Obama ordered a thorough review of federal efforts to defend the U.S. information and communications infrastructure and the development of a comprehensive approach to securing America’s digital infrastructure. In May 2009, the President accepted the recommendations of the resulting Cyberspace Policy Review.
The activities under way to implement the recommendations of the Cyberspace Policy Review build on the Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative (CNCI) launched by President George W. Bush. The CNCI consists of a number of mutually reinforcing initiatives with the following major goals designed to help secure the United States in cyberspace:
- To establish a front line of defense against today’s immediate threats by creating or enhancing shared situational awareness of network vulnerabilities, threats, and events within the Federal Government—and ultimately with state, local, and tribal governments and private sector partners—and the ability to act quickly to reduce our current vulnerabilities and prevent intrusions.
- To defend against the full spectrum of threats by enhancing U.S. counterintelligence capabilities and increasing the security of the supply chain for key information technologies.
- To strengthen the future cybersecurity environment by expanding cyber education; coordinating and redirecting research and development efforts across the Federal Government; and working to define and develop strategies to deter hostile or malicious activity in cyberspace.
It was quickly realized that the goals of the CNCI could not be achieved without also strengthening certain key strategic foundational capabilities within the Government. Therefore, the CNCI included funding within the federal law enforcement, intelligence, and defense communities to enhance such key functions as criminal investigation; intelligence collection, processing, and analysis; and information assurance critical to enabling national cybersecurity efforts. The CNCI was the basis for the establishment of the Department of Defense (DOD) Information Assurance (IA) Range located at Quantico Corporate Center. The DOD IA Range was and continues to be sanctioned by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA).
At Quantico Corporate Center and within the region, Yyotta is leading the effort to bring together local, state, federal, and DOD stakeholders associated with cybersecurity. These stakeholders include operational DOD and federal entities at Marine Corps Base Quantico, academic and industry leaders in the region, and local and state agencies. Quantico and the surrounding region represent the key stakeholders identified by as well as the goals of the CNCI. It is the intent of Yyotta to provide a direct and positive impact for this national cybersecurity effort.