A Report to the President on Enhancing the Resilience of the Internet and Communications Ecosystem Against Botnets and Other Automated, Distributed Threats

This report outlines a guide to government and private sector actions that would reduce the threat of botnets and similar cyberattacks. It responds to the May 11, 2017, Executive Order on Strengthening the Cybersecurity of Federal Networks and Critical Infrastructure. That order directed the Secretaries of Commerce, and Homeland Security to lead "an open and transparent process to identify and promote action by appropriate stakeholders" with the goal of "dramatically reducing threats perpetrated by automated and distributed attacks (e.g., botnets)."

The Report to the President on Enhancing the Resilience of the Internet and Communications Ecosystem Against Botnets and Other Automated, Distributed Threats represents the output of the yearlong effort launched by the Executive Order. The Departments determined that the opportunities and challenges in working toward dramatically reducing threats from automated, distributed attacks can be summarized in six principal themes:

1. Automated, distributed attacks are a global problem.
2. Effective tools exist, but are not widely used.
3. Products should be secured during all stages of the lifecycle.
4. Awareness and education are needed.
5. Market incentives should be more effectively aligned.
6. Automated, distributed attacks are an ecosystem-wide challenge.

The Departments identified five complementary and mutually supportive goals that, if realized, would dramatically reduce the threat of automated, distributed attacks and improve the resilience and redundancy of the ecosystem. A list of suggested actions for key stakeholders reinforces each goal. The goals are:

• Goal 1: Identify a clear pathway toward an adaptable, sustainable, and secure technology marketplace.
• Goal 2: Promote innovation in the infrastructure for dynamic adaptation to evolving threats.
• Goal 3: Promote innovation at the edge of the network to prevent, detect, and mitigate automated, distributed attacks.
• Goal 4: Promote and support coalitions between the security, infrastructure, and operational technology communities domestically and around the world.
• Goal 5: Increase awareness and education across the ecosystem.