CISA launches Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently partnered with a group of stakeholders to initiate the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC).

The endeavor to develop and implement cyber defense operations plans with federal interagency, private sector, and state, local, tribal, territorial (SLTT) government stakeholders would minimize risk before an incident and unify defensive actions in the event of an occurrence.

“The JCDC presents an exciting and important opportunity for this agency and our partners – the creation of a unique planning capability to be proactive vice reactive in our collective approach to dealing with the most serious cyber threats to our nation,” CISA Director Jen Easterly said. “The industry partners that have agreed to work side-by-side with CISA and our interagency teammates share the same commitment to defending our country’s national critical functions from cyber intrusions and the imagination to spark new solutions.”

Easterly said the program’s initial focus would be to combat ransomware and develop a planning framework to coordinate incidents impacting cloud service providers.

The scope of work includes sharing insight to shape understanding of challenges and opportunities for cyber defense, implementing coordinated defensive cyber operations to prevent and reduce impacts of cyber intrusions, and supporting joint exercises to improve cyber defense operations.

Additionally, the initiative would deploy innovation and imagination to protect domestic businesses, government agencies, and people against cyber intrusions.