National cyber strategy possibly 'months' away, Inglis says

The release of the Biden administration's national cybersecurity strategy is still potentially months away, National Cyber Director Chris Inglis said Wednesday.

“It'll probably come out in the next month or two or three, given the processes that exist in Washington,” Inglis said at Mandiant’s mWISE conference in Washington, D.C.

The strategy, which Inglis’ office was tasked earlier this year to develop, was reportedly expected to be published in September. However, last month Inglis signaled that it had been delayed, in part because of a flood of feedback from the federal government and the private sector.

Inglis said the strategy will address regulation and market forces, the international dimension of digital security, as well as the assigning of roles and responsibilities and how to "actually get critical infrastructure into the right place."

“So all of those things will be in that package, and hopefully in a way that it's readable,” he joked.

Inglis noted that two-thirds of the 300 engagements his office has had with stakeholders about the strategy have been with the private sector, “so that we can actually make sure it's a strategy that works for all of us, mobilizes all of us and gives all of us an opportunity to not just influence the strategy, but to ultimately take a role and participate in what that strategy will drive.”

Last week, the White House released its national security strategy, which included a section on cybersecurity. The 48-page document skimped on details, however, instead rehashing previous administration statements about its cyberspace policies.