With the White House presenting its plan on Monday for distributing $42 billion in funding from the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program across all 50 states and U.S. territories, the upside is undeniable. But some cybersecurity professionals say more access to broadband infrastructure for those in need also provides more access to threat actors with bad intent.
Infrastructure in rural areas will be upgraded by 2030 to high-speed broadband, all part of a $1 trillion 2021 infrastructure bill signed by President Joe Biden. Which states and territories get how much is being determined by a Broadband Data Collection map from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The map shows enormous gaps in broadband access mainly in remote and hard-to-get-to areas.
States are expected to submit initial plans later this year that will unlock 20% of the funding. Once the plans are finalized, which could take until 2025, the government will release the rest of the allocated funding.
In a LinkedIn post today, Violet Sullivan, VP of Client Engagement at Redpoint Cyber and a panelist at SecureWorld Chicago earlier this month, expressed the potential issues related to cybersecurity:
"On one hand… I'm glad we are calling internet, 'infrastructure.' On the other… the massive federal inject of $42 billion in spending on increased broadband and internet infrastructure will have a profound impact on cybersecurity." Sullivan listed the main areas of concern:
1. Expanded Attack Surface: The wider reach of internet connectivity increases the potential points of entry for cyber threats, providing more opportunities for cybercriminals.
2. Heightened Cyber Threats: With more devices and individuals connected, there is an increased risk of cyberattacks, including phishing, malware infections, and data breaches.
3. Insufficient Security Measures: The rapid expansion of broadband infrastructure may outpace the implementation of robust cybersecurity measures, leaving vulnerabilities unaddressed.
4. Lack of Awareness and Education: The rapid increase in connectivity may lead to a larger population of users who are unaware of basic cybersecurity practices, making them more susceptible to cyberthreats and attacks.
Sullivan's final recommendation?
"ADDRESS these concerns and ensure that cybersecurity measures keep pace with the expansion of broadband and internet infrastructure to protect individuals, organizations, and critical digital assets."
The funding allocation for states and territories is not all that surprising, with each state receiving at least $100 million. Texas and California will receive $3.1 billion and $1.9 billion respectively, with less populous states (Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas) making the Top 10 list for funding.
A CNN report broke down the map's data:
"Finalized by the Federal Communications Commission last month, the new maps show that 7% of U.S. households and businesses, representing 8.5 million physical locations and tens of millions of individual Americans, do not have broadband internet access, which is defined as internet download speeds of at least 25 megabits per second. The new maps provide information about internet connectivity at a granular level, whereas previous maps assessed connectivity only at a census-block level. The older maps also considered a census block to be served if just one household in that block had broadband access, even if many of its surrounding neighbors did not—leaving many Americans to report that they had no high-speed internet even when the official maps claimed that they did."
