U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently shed light on how cohesive private sector engagement, regional and international cooperation and the U.S.-Israel relationship are essential in tackling cybersecurity threats.
DHS Under Secretary for Policy Robert Silvers recently visited Israel to deliver a keynote address at the CyberTech Global Conference, according to a Feb. 2 news release. While there, he also met with representatives from Israel and key Middle Eastern nations, in collaboration with the Department of State.
“The expansion of the Abraham Accords into cybersecurity is advancing our defensive operational collaboration with Israel and our partners across the Middle East to protect our critical infrastructure,” Silvers said, according to the release. “Together we can harness our capabilities to address the most pressing cybersecurity challenges to drive security and resilience.”
The expansion of the Abraham Accords, in addition with normalization agreements, is intended to address things such as widespread ransomware attacks and threats related to critical infrastructure, according to the release. DHS and the Middle East will share information on cyber threats, incidents and approaches to handling threats.
Silvers stressed the importance of helping Israel meet all Visa Waiver Program requirements to become eligible for the program, with the goal of enhancing U.S.-Israel security and travel partnership, the release reported. He, along with Speaker Amir Ohana and National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi, discussed how much work needs to be done in order for this to happen.
Silvers was part of the first public dialogue among the U.S., Israeli, Emirati, Bahraini and Moroccan cybersecurity officials to expand the Abraham Accords, according to the release.
