"Cybersecurity is a major focus of this administration," VP Pence says at DHS cyber summit.
Pence: "Previous administrations have let the American people down when it came to cyber defense. ... In a very real sense, we inherited a cyber crisis. ... The last administration all but neglected cybersecurity."
"The last administration too often chose silence and paralysis over strength and action" when faced with cyber threats, Pence says. "Make no mistake about it: Those days are over."
Pence says Trump administration has requested "a record" $15 billion for cyber defense funding in the next annual budget.
Pence mentions DHS's order removing @kaspersky from government systems, citing its "direct relationship with the Russian government and intelligence services."
"This threat existed for many years, but our administration ended the threat last year."
Very campaign-y speech.
"This threat existed for many years, but our administration ended the threat last year."
Very campaign-y speech.
Pence says the Trump administration is "putting the finishing touches on our national cyber strategy."
"This strategy will make clear that the [U.S.] will bring every element of our national power to bear to protect the integrity and security of the American digital domain."
"This strategy will make clear that the [U.S.] will bring every element of our national power to bear to protect the integrity and security of the American digital domain."
I always wondered what a campaign stump speech built completely on cyber policy would sound like, and now I know.
Pence says the Trump administration has taken "unprecedented action" to secure U.S. elections.
"No actual votes were changed" in 2016 by cyber meddling, Pence claims, repeating baseless GOP talking point (this has never been comprehensively analyzed and the IC specifically refrained from analyzing it).
"We've taken a firm stance, and we've backed it up with strong action," Pence says of election security.
But his first example is the FBI's foreign influence task force, which recently lost its widely respected co-leader.
But his first example is the FBI's foreign influence task force, which recently lost its widely respected co-leader.
Pence says the federal government worked "hand-in-hand" with officials in Finney County, Kansas, which recently dealt with malware affecting election systems. Calls it "a model" for federal-local partnership.
Interesting comment here from Pence: "It concerns us many states still don’t have concrete plans to upgrade their election systems."
Mentions 14 states struggling to upgrade voting machines.
Is he...is he referring to our story? politico.com/story/2018/07/…
Mentions 14 states struggling to upgrade voting machines.
Is he...is he referring to our story? politico.com/story/2018/07/…
Pence says the Trump administration's cybersecurity agenda will respect the Constitution's "God-given liberties" like freedom of speech.
