Adrian Johnson
TLDR:
- The White House has requested a $13 billion cybersecurity budget for 2025, with significant increases for CISA and AI research.
- The budget would boost CISA’s funds, enhance programs like JCE and CDM, and implement the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act.
The White House’s 2025 fiscal plan includes a request for $13 billion to the federal cybersecurity budget, a substantial increase from the current $11.8 billion number. The proposed budget would provide additional funding to CISA, including programs like JCE and CDM, as well as setting up a unified incident reporting standard for critical infrastructure sectors. The DOJ would also receive a budget boost for a new office focused on cyber threats, and other agencies would see small increases for various initiatives. AI research and defense concerns are highlighted in the budget, with a focus on healthcare cybersecurity and AI resilience models for the energy sector. The proposed budget is seen as a promising step towards strengthening national and economic security through collaboration between public and private sectors.
The cybersecurity budget is driven by concerns about AI threats, defensive shortcomings, and targeting of healthcare sectors by hackers. Congress’s approval and negotiation for the 2025 budget are crucial, especially as the government is currently operating on continuing resolutions. The ultimate form of next year’s cybersecurity budget is still uncertain, pending congressional approval.
