InterRegional for Strategic Analysis

Amid the frenzied competition between China, the US, and Russia in the area of cybersecurity and the development of AI technology, Washington is eager to make its technological mark across the globe. To that end, at the RSA Conference held in San Francisco in May 2024, which was attended by cybersecurity experts and technology enthusiasts, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced an international cyberspace and digital strategy. "Today’s revolutions in technology are at the heart of our competition with geopolitical rivals," Blinken said. He further clarified the strategy’s aims: "Our ability to design, to develop, to deploy technologies will determine our capacity to shape the tech future.&nbsp;And naturally, operating from a position of strength better positions us to set standards and advance norms around the world. But our advantage comes not just from our domestic strength. It comes from our solidarity with the majority of the world that shares our vision for a vibrant, open, and secure technological future, and from an unmatched network of allies and partners with whom we can work in common cause."Washington’s ObjectivesThe strategy announced by the State Department, entitled "US International Cyberspace and Digital Policy Strategy: Towards an Innovative, Secure, and Rights-Respecting Digital Future," is based on a set of principles and objectives and focuses on a group of fields through which Washington will seek to enhance global cybersecurity. Note that the Biden administration previously released a national cybersecurity strategy in March 2023, and an executive plan in June 2023, followed by a cyber strategy document issued by the Defense Department in September 2023. The following explains the goals and principles of the State Department’s strategy.1. Enhancing digital diplomacy and "digital solidarity:" The US State Department declared the "principle of digital solidarity," which the new strategy is keen to establish. The strategy aims to strengthen the role of digital diplomacy, through which cooperation in the digital space will form new international alliances that include countries that share American principles related to providing an "open, inclusive, secure, and resilient internet network."2. Keeping the US at the forefront of the global technology scene: The strategy reflects the US’s desire to maintain its technological superiority in order to remain at the helm of global technology. Meanwhile, Beijing and Moscow are accelerating their efforts to overtake Washington in the digital ecosystem, focusing on transferring American technological expertise to allies as well as benefitting from their expertise.3. Proposing principles to regulate cyberspace: The US State Department’s official website reveals three key principles the American strategy hopes to achieve in cyberspace: respect for the rule of international law, privacy, individual rights, and security; integration of efforts to achieve the seventeen sustainable development goals with efforts to ensure a secure cyberspace that depends on technological innovation; and, lastly, the development of a "comprehensive policy" that enlists various modes of diplomacy that can be used in a resilient global digital ecosystem capable of confronting and quickly recovering from various crises, as well as able to punish hackers who wish to harm countries’ cybersecurity, which requires strengthening countries’ cyber capabilities.Underlying MotivesA set of drivers and incentives encouraged the US to release this strategy that helps create an institutional framework for governing the digital ecosystem. The following highlights the most prominent of these drivers and incentives.1. Securing American cyberspace: Although Washington is preoccupied with the wars its allies are waging around the world, especially in Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, it pays great attention to the cyber risks surrounding it. Washington’s opponents—most notably Moscow, Tehran, Pyongyang, and Beijing—have repeatedly attacked its vital cyber infrastructure, including gas lines and healthcare systems from time to time. Thus, this strategy, which aims at increasing US cyberspace, was released.2. Making electoral gains: With the US elections approaching in November 2024, the administration wants two things. First, it seeks to secure the upcoming elections and protect them from any foreign influence, amid increasing suspicions about the possibility of Russian, Chinese, and Iranian interference to influence American voters’ opinions. Second, the administration wants to show a new accomplishment that can be promoted to illustrate the administration’s interest in protecting cybersecurity and enhancing global partnerships, as previously promised during President Biden’s 2020 election campaign.3. Confronting American opponents: The US seeks to counter the growing influence of regimes it describes as "oppressive" and "authoritarian," specifically Beijing and Moscow. Washington believes that these regimes want to redraw the features of the international order and violate various human rights, including individual privacy across cyberspace. Hence, the US is trying to govern cyberspace and establish foundations that can hold errant parties accountable and correct digital behavior. The US administration believes that this issue is ultimately in the world’s interest, on the one hand, while it also protects national security and its political and economic interests in various parts of the world, on the other hand.&nbsp;This was confirmed by U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy Nathaniel C. Fick, who explained Washington’s efforts to mobilize a global team to combat violations carried out by Beijing or Moscow.4. Completing previous American cybersecurity measures: This strategy is not the first effort of its kind for the US. It previously launched an anti-ransomware initiative in 2021, joined by more than 60 countries, and a number of countries have also signed a treaty aimed at "reducing the misuse of commercial spyware." In 2022, Washington appointed a US Ambassador-at-Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy, Nathaniel C. Vick, who said in this regard: "For two years, we had an office in the State Department focused on these issues. We had someone with the title of ambassador representing us on these issues on a broad scale. It is an attempt to integrate and elevate our diplomatic approach on these matters."On another level, Albania and Costa Rica have received up to USD 25 million from Washington to help them recover from the damage of cyberattacks by Tehran and Moscow. And the US is cooperating with Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Taiwan to deliver internet services to up to 100,000 people in the Pacific region by establishing an underwater internet cable. This strategy is an attempt by Washington to complete the efforts implemented in previous years.In conclusion, it can be said that the timing for the release of this strategy is very sensitive, given the intense global competition. However, its success depends on the US’s ability to impose the principles laid out in its strategy, first and foremost, a secure digital ecosystem that respects rights and individual privacy. On the other hand, Washington wants to ban some foreign applications owned by China, such as TikTok and other applications that violate the privacy of individuals, which raises controversy about Washington’s credibility in the idea of ​​creating a secure cyberspace that attracts partnerships with like-minded countries. Meanwhile, Washington’s opponents—led by Moscow and Beijing—are making vast expenditures on developing their digital capabilities, which throws uncertainty on the US’s goal of leading the global technology helm.

What are the Features of the US Administration’s New Cybersecurity Strategy?