The Department of Homeland Security has published a research strategy that identifies capability gaps affecting the integrity of U.S. data infrastructure, Nextgov reported Thursday.
The document, prepared by the DHS Science and Technology Directorate, points out multiple cybersecurity topics or themes where private or public researchers can focus their efforts.
One such area of research involves ensuring the accountability of supply chain firms for security lapses.
The DHS S&T Directorate said that “[there] is growing support for the contention that supply chain actors… should bear the costs imposed by insecure devices.â€
However, the directorate also acknowledged that “[it] can be quite challenging to assign responsibility in the context of systems comprised of devices and software from numerous vendors and assets.â€
To address such challenges, the authors of the document listed multiple possible research objectives, including modeling mechanisms that would incentivize technology firms to prioritize security when developing products or services, and analyzing the applicability of existing laws in holding firms responsible for security breaches.
