GOP presidential candidate Ben Carson on Monday is proposing a new national cybersecurity agency intended to be a one-stop shop for computer network protections in both the public and private sectors.
Dubbed the National Cyber Security Administration (NCSA), the agency is not just a “new federal bureaucracy,” Mr. Carson says in a policy paper announcing his plan, but rather a way to streamline the government’s already-existing efforts in the field to try to win the ongoing “Cyber Space Race.”
“A Carson administration will lead a nationwide effort, not only to secure our nation against cyber attacks, but to make America the unquestioned cyber power on the planet,” his plan says.
The agency would centralize best practices advice, serve as a general resource for digital privacy and civil liberties issues, and promote cooperation between private industry and law enforcement.
Mr. Carson says in an outline of his plan that while the government can’t take charge of cybersecurity for private entities, “it can and must work hand in hand with them to ensure that they are properly incentivized to harden their cyber defense and share critical incident information with law enforcement.”
The plan also says the American people have a role to play in the cyber arena.
“From crime and fraud to espionage and terrorism, we all have a role to play in this endeavor,” the plan says. “That starts with ’We the People,’ practicing safe online habits, reinforcing the security of all of our devices and leading research and development of new cyber tools.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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