Cybersecurity May Escape DoD Budget Cuts

A look at the week of January 17 in public advocacy for the IT channel:  This week, the Department of Defense announced that budget cuts would focus on troops rather than cyber technology.  Federal CIO Steven VanRoekel announced a new roadmap for government mobile technology purchases and use.  Some officials believe that increasing the role of governments in cyberspace could spell disaster for the Internet.

Cybersecurity May Escape DoD Budget Cuts — President Obama is balancing the need to counter cyberthreats from China and provide the military the latest technologies with plans to cut almost $490 billion in defense spending through 2021. The Department of Defense intends to beef up spending on computer network protections and satellite intelligence systems while targeting troops for cuts under a global strategy released last week. Funding levels, which were not specified, will be detailed in next month’s federal budget proposal, says The Washington Post.

VanRoekel: Mobile Roadmap Will Focus on Streamlining Acquisitions — A cross-government team has drafted a government mobile roadmap that will streamline how agencies buy smartphones and tablets and how they use those devices to accomplish internal goals and communicate with the public, federal Chief Information Officer Steven VanRoekel said. According to Nextgov.com, a major component of the new mobile strategy will be streamlining and consolidating acquisitions. The roadmap also will include a more concise process for when and how agencies should build internal mobile applications so federal workers can, for example, submit field reports on invasive species, he said.

Officials See Limited Government Role in Internet Governance — Rather than seeking expanded government control, countries, companies and other organizations should seek to strengthen a “multi-stakeholder” approach that allows input from everyone, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information Larry Strickling told an audience at the Brookings Institution.  National Journal  reports that top American officials and analysts believe that increasing the role of governments in cyberspace could spell disaster for the free nature of the Internet.