Priya PatelTLDR:
ONCD released a report pushing for the adoption of memory-safe programming languages and better cyber diagnostics to reduce cyber vulnerabilities. This approach is part of the National Cybersecurity Strategy and aims to prevent security bugs from entering the digital ecosystem. The report highlights the importance of memory-safe languages like Rust, Python, and Java to improve cybersecurity quality. An engineering-forward approach is advocated to integrate cybersecurity outcomes into the manufacturing process.
Full Article:
The White House Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) recently released a report urging the technical community to proactively reduce the attack surface in cyberspace by adopting memory-safe programming languages and developing better cyber diagnostics. The report, titled “Back to the Building Blocks: A Path Toward Secure and Measurable Software,” builds upon the National Cybersecurity Strategy (NCS) and emphasizes the need to address undiscovered vulnerabilities that malicious actors can exploit.
The report outlines two strategic approaches to achieve this goal:
- Reducing the attack surface by adopting memory-safe programming languages like Rust, Python, and Java.
- Developing better diagnostics to measure cybersecurity quality and anticipate systemic security risks.
National Cyber Director Harry Coker emphasized the importance of moving towards memory-safe programming languages to prevent security bugs from entering the digital ecosystem. The report calls for collaboration from the technical community and public and private sector partners to address this critical issue.
The ONCD report also encourages the research community to focus on improving software measurability to develop better diagnostics for cybersecurity quality. By adopting an engineering-forward approach, the ONCD aims to ensure that cybersecurity outcomes are integrated into the manufacturing process of software and hardware, ultimately enhancing the nation’s overall security.
This initiative aligns with the NCS Implementation Plan unveiled in July 2023, which tasked the ONCD with promoting open-source software security and the adoption of memory-safe programming languages. The report emphasizes the roles of technology manufacturers and the research community in enhancing cybersecurity measures and reducing the threat surface in the digital ecosystem.
Stakeholders from various sectors have shown support for the ONCD’s efforts, with industry experts recognizing the significance of adopting memory-safe programming languages to eliminate vulnerabilities and strengthen cybersecurity measures. The report underscores the importance of transferring responsibility for cybersecurity from individuals and small businesses to larger organizations capable of managing evolving threats.
By advocating for memory-safe languages and improved cyber diagnostics, the ONCD aims to establish a future where software is secure by design, minimizing the risk of cyber attacks and safeguarding the nation’s digital ecosystem.
