Telecommunications Advisory Group Seeks to Incentivize Cyber Preparedness

The White House’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee is calling on the federal government to adopt new programs to incentivize critical infrastructure operators that adhere to cybersecurity standards.

The group, composed of representatives from U.S. telecommunications and cybersecurity companies, said the need to introduce new incentive programs comes from the fact that current market forces alone are insufficient to prompt companies to prioritize adopting cybersecurity measures.

In introducing financial incentives, the group asked the Office of the National Cyber Director to work closely with industry, particularly if tax deductions or federal grants will significantly impact the cybersecurity investment gap, CyberScoop reported.

Matt Desch, Iridium CEO, co-chair of the subcommittee behind the report and Wash100 winner, said the lack of cyber best practices and standards is putting U.S. critical infrastructure at risk of cyberattacks.

Despite the call, the U.S. government has been working to address cybersecurity challenges experienced by its critical infrastructure sector. In May 2022, Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and a past Wash100 awardee, asked lawmakers to increase the agency’s budget to improve critical infrastructure cybersecurity across the country.