On July 14, 2010, the National Security Council (NSC) posted a report on the nation’s progress to improving its Cybersecurity. The NSC reported progress in all its short-term objectives since President Barack Obama prioritized securing the nation’s IT infrastructure since May 2009. According to the NSC, “In the 14 months following that address and the release of the President’s Cyberspace Policy Review (CPR), the Administration has taken concrete steps to achieve that goal, making cyberspace more secure. 

Among the key achievements include a Cyberspace Policy Review and implementation of policies. The President appointed a cybersecurity policy official and a Cybersecurity Directorate was created within the National Security Staff.  That directorate is developing an update to National Security Presidential Directive 54 / Homeland Security Presidential Directive 23 (NSPD-54/HSPD-23).  This revised Presidential Directive will further elaborate and advance implementation of the strategy outlined by the CPR and executed through the CNCI and the actions laid out below. The emphasis of these actions is to make cybersecurity a central component of the administration’s performance management agenda.  ore effective. 


Other actions include:


• A privacy and civil liberties official has been designated. 

* A national public awareness and education campaign is underway. 

• U.S. positions for international cybersecurity policy framework are being developed, and international partnerships are being strengthened.

• A cybersecurity incident response plan is in final draft and will be exercised in September.


Just as significantly, the administration is taking steps to secure classified networks and manage global, and better securing the Internet’s Domain Name System.


Finally, the NSC says that the administration has established a United States Cyber Command, which is unifying and strengthening the Defense Department’s efforts to defend military networks and ensure integration of cyberspace operations.  “With the confirmation of General Keith Alexander – who remains the Director of NSA--as the head of the U.S. Cyber Command, the Defense Department will achieve greater unity of effort across a full range of cyberspace operations.”


The full report includes progress in a number of other key strategic areas relating to managing cyber risk. Significantly the report did not discuss any deadlines, timelines, or delays in reaching goals and objectives.