Good morning. Prime Minister Ponta, thank you for your gracious hospitality in welcoming us to your country. It is a great honor and pleasure to be here to discuss the importance of cybersecurity.
All of our countries face serious cybersecurity threats, and the IT sector is a critical partner in confronting these challenges.
That is why I am here this week leading a trade mission of 20 U.S. cybersecurity companies. These firms are all industry leaders – providing cutting edge technologies, products, and services all over the globe.One of the companies I’ve brought here with me is Oracle, the third largest software company in the world. Oracle is no stranger to Romania. The firm saw an opportunity to expand their operations by entering a tech savvy market, and in 1995, they became the first major multinational software company to open an office in Bucharest.
Another company on this trade mission is Cask – which specializes in information and communications technology management services and solutions. Cask chose Budapest, Hungary as the location for its first international office.
We also have representatives from CSC with us. For over 50 years, CSC has been providing IT services to companies in any industry and the public sector in over 70 countries – including Bulgaria, Poland, and Romania.
All three of these companies are committed to doing business in Central and Southeast Europe. Their presence here today is a testament to your tech savvy, this region’s strategic location, and our shared dedication to combatting both criminal and state-sponsored cyber attacks.
We all know that globalization and advances in technology have driven unprecedented increases in innovation, competitiveness, and economic growth around the world.
The digital economy is booming, creating new jobs and opportunities we couldn’t have imagined even a decade ago. The economic platforms of the future are increasingly online – but with this new digital economy comes new threats.
The national and economic security of all of our nations depends on the reliable functioning of critical infrastructure, like financial networks, roads, power grids, and water supply systems.
And critical infrastructure – like any business or service in the 21st century – utilizes information technology. Cybersecurity threats exploit the increased complexity and connectivity of these systems, placing a nation’s security, economy, public safety, and health at risk.
In other words, all of us are susceptible to cyber attacks. The U.S. government is concerned about protecting critical infrastructure, not only in the U.S. but around the world and especially among our friends.But the threat isn’t limited to just critical infrastructure.
Hackers steal intellectual property and trade secrets. They traffic in stolen credentials and identities. They attack systems to take revenge against perceived slights. And as the attack against Sony shows, they even seek to embarrass companies.
Cyber risks are growing – and governments must work with the private sector to develop technological and policy solutions to these serious threats.
Cybersecurity is a top priority for the United States, as noted by President Obama in his State of the Union speech.Earlier this year, our government hosted the first ever White House Summit on Cybersecurity. This event brought together stakeholders from across the country – including industry, technology companies, law enforcement, consumer and privacy advocates, legal experts, and students – to collaborate and explore partnerships that will help develop the best ways to bolster our cybersecurity.
Our Congress is currently considering cybersecurity legislation aimed at improving information sharing and addressing data breaches.The Department of Commerce is also working with other federal agencies on the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education.
This whole-of-government effort brings together industry and academia to raise cybersecurity awareness across the nation, to bring much needed training to the U.S. workforce, and to ensure we have the essential educational programs needed to fill the hundreds of thousands of open cybersecurity jobs in the U.S. today. Yet we know that government initiatives alone are not enough.
The traditional model for defending our countries and our citizens is challenged by the borderless nature of cybersecurity threats. We will only be successful in combatting these threats by working together with the private sector.
That’s why President Obama asked the Department of Commerce to convene stakeholders from across industry and the expert community – including many of the companies here with me on this trade mission – to develop a voluntary Cybersecurity Framework.When the President gave us this task, he knew that the government alone could not possibly keep up with such a rapidly evolving field.
This diversity of IT products and services is good for cybersecurity and good for innovation – but it also means that we had to engage with the private sector in order to develop strategies for managing cyber risks.
Our National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST –which is part of the Department of Commerce – reached out to key stakeholders.More than 3,000 people from industry, academia, and government contributed to this effort. They suggested specific issues to address and provided detailed comments on each draft. The final product – which we call the NIST Cybersecurity Framework – provides a common language for any organization to understand, manage, and express cybersecurity risk, both internally and externally.It serves as a bridge between business leaders at all levels, starting with the boardroom and continuing across the supply chain and industries.
Today, I am proud to say that the Cybersecurity Framework is a resounding success. Although it was originally started for critical infrastructure, it is now being used by a broad range of sectors, and by organizations of all sizes.
Early adopters include companies and sectors vital to our nation’s physical and economic infrastructure, including:
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