US panel makes urgent recommendations for better cybersecurity to Trump

A national commission on Friday delivered urgent recommendations to improve the nation’s cybersecurity, weeks before US president-elect Donald Trump takes office. The report follows the worst hacking of US government systems in history and accusations by the Obama administration that Russia meddled in the US presidential election by hacking Democrats.

The Presidential Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity, which was expected to spell out actions the US can take over the next 10 years, instead urged more immediate actions within two to five years. It suggested the Trump administration consider some items “deserving action” within the first 100 days.

It recommended that Trump create an assistant to the president for cybersecurity, who would report through the national security adviser, and establish an ambassador for cybersecurity, who would lead efforts to create international rules. It urged steps, such as getting rid of traditional passwords, to end the threat of identity theft by 2021 and said Trump’s administration should train 100,000 new cybersecurity workers by 2020.

Other ideas included helping consumers to judge products using an independent “nutritional label” for technology products and services.

“The commission recognised that what we’ve been doing over the last 15 to 20 years simply isn’t working, and the problem isn’t going to be fixed simply by adding more money,” said Steven Chabinsky, a commission member and the global chair of the data, privacy and cybersecurity practice for White & Case LLP, an international law firm.

He said the group wanted the burden of cybersecurity “moved away from every computer user and handled at higher levels”, including internet providers and product developers who could ensure security by default and design “for everyone’s benefit”.