The appointed commission for cyberspace security released its recommendation plan for an improved national security strategy, calling for more transparency from the future administration on its initiatives. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Commission on Cybersecurity, which began its activity in 2007, warned about the major vulnerability of the United States in terms of cybersecurity, but also drew attention on the necessity to create a national security strategy that embraces both the domestic and international aspects of cybersecurity.

The report admits the Bush administration has taken a big step forward with its Comprehensive National Security Initiative, however, it also recommends the Obama administration not to start over, but to continue the initiative, this time with less secrecy and more efficiency.

The United States security has a lot of long-term challenges ahead from foreign intelligence and militaries, but also criminals and other entities, the commission revealed. Furthermore, any failure to meet these challenges will result in damage to the economic health and national security for the United States.

The next administration needs to take better advantage of cyberspace, and as the commission pointed out, catch up with the rest of the nations in terms of the ability to operate in cyberspace and defend against hostile actions.

The United States’ current computer networks can be easily penetrated by foreign opponents, allowing for immense quantities of sensitive information to be extracted. Although this may not apply to the military communications, which remain safe, economic competitors and military opponents are still able to access military technology, intellectual property and government data, which is why cybersecurity should be among the next administration’s priorities, the commission said.

Foreign competitors feed on the United States’ poor cybersecurity, advancing on the global hierarchy to the detriment of the United States. As more and more information is now digitized, the necessity to create an efficient strategy to counter all emerging threats becomes greater.

Just last year, the Department of Defense, Homeland Security, NASA, and the National Defense University suffered from cyber-intrusions from foreign attacker. Not even the White House was excluded, as recent incidents have shown.

Therefore, the commission has released several recommendations the Obama administration should take into consideration. First and foremost, the next administration should recognize cybersecurity as a vital aspect for national security, economic prosperity and public safety.

Furthermore, a comprehensive national security plan needs to be put in place, using all means available, from international engagement and diplomacy, to military planning and doctrine, economic policy tools, and the world of the intelligence and law enforcement communities. The commission also asked for more openness on the strategic plan, and for open discussions on how to better secure cyberspace.

The White House needs to take charge and set presidential directives that the major agencies need to work by. This is why the commission also proposed creating a new office for cyberspace in the Executive Office of the President.

Furthermore, the government will need to reinvent the public-private partnership, as well as regulate cyberspace by setting minimum standards for securing it. In addition to that, the next administration should also review some of the laws regarding cyberspace, which the commission warned were updated.

Future strategy should also rely on extending research, training, and education capabilities, which will allow the United States to better respond to cybersecurity issues. Although this may not produce solutions on short term, the efforts will pay off on long-term.

A new administration brings opportunity for change and improvement, the report writes, and finding ways to take better advantage of cyberspace will help give the United States a competitive advantage in a field where it is currently lagging behind.