DOD Urges US Cybersecurity Industry to Assist International Allies

The Department of Defense is calling on the U.S. cybersecurity industry to help strengthen the resilience of international allies and partners, a top official said.

Mieke Eoyang, deputy assistant secretary of defense for cyber policy, said that the DOD frequently receives requests for cybersecurity support from its allies in NATO, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, Defense News reported.

She said the best cybersecurity professionals are in the private sector because the Pentagon cannot afford to pay what industry pays its top talent.

Eoyang added that the DOD previously conducted in-house cybersecurity skill-building and wants to involve the private sector in future efforts.

The department also needs to understand how to better utilize mechanisms such as the Defense Security Cooperation Agency to support its allies’ cybersecurity needs, Eoyang said at C4ISRNET’s CyberCon.

DSCA is an organization within the Office of the Secretary of Defense that promotes contacts between the DOD and allied militaries. The agency’s stated mission is to advance the United States’ interests by building its allies’ capacity to respond to shared challenges.

The DOD has reportedly begun discussions with DSCA, U.S. Cyber Command and other combatant commands on how to strengthen the cybersecurity capacity of U.S. allies.

Eoyang said the department wants to identify what obstacles there are to working with industry as well as how to incentivize such partnerships.

She said that planning and training together are key elements of fighting as a coalition.

“If those activities are compromised via cyber means where the adversary figures out how to get inside our playbook and inside our huddle, that’s a real problem for our ability to fight and win together,” Eoyang added.