High Tech Companies Pledge Big Bucks for Cybersecurity Improvements

In a meeting at the White House at the invitation of President Biden, tech giants Apple, Google and Microsoft have pledged billions to improve U.S. cybersecurity.

The meeting, which also included attendees from the financial and education sectors, was held following months of high-profile cyberattacks against critical infrastructure and several U.S. government agencies, along with a glaring cybersecurity skills gap. according to data from CyberSeek, there are currently almost 500,000 cybersecurity jobs across the U.S that remain unfilled.

“Most of our critical infrastructure is owned and operated by the private sector, and the federal government can’t meet this challenge alone,” President Biden said at the start of the meeting. “I’ve invited you all here today because you have the power, the capacity and the responsibility, I believe, to raise the bar on cybersecurity.”

After numerous major hacks on government servers in recent years, the U.S. is fighting back with the tools in big tech. In an article we found at techcrunch.com demonstrates the level of commitment and the dollars pledged.

Apple has vowed to work with its 9,000-plus suppliers in the U.S. to drive “mass adoption” of multi-factor authentication and security training, according to the White House, as well as to establish a new program for continuous security improvements in the technology supply chain.

Google said it will invest more than $10 billion over the next five years to expand zero-trust programs, help secure the software supply chain and enhance open-source security. The search and ads giant has also pledged to train 100,000 Americans in fields like IT support and data analytics, learning in-demand skills including data privacy and security.

Microsoft is committing $20 billion to integrate cybersecurity by design and deliver “advanced security solutions.” It is also investing $150 million in technical services to help federal, state and local governments with upgrading security protection, and plans to expand partnerships with community colleges and nonprofits for cybersecurity training.

“Robust cybersecurity ultimately depends on having the people to implement it,” said Kent Walker, Google’s global affairs chief. “That includes people with digital skills capable of designing and executing cybersecurity solutions, as well as promoting awareness of cybersecurity risks and protocols among the broader population.”

All in all, the need to continue to train cybersecurity experts and put them to work in the over 500,000 cybersecurity jobs that are open currently was high on the list of the companies that attended the meeting.

read more at techcrunch.com