Johnson Talks Cyber

Jeh Johnson, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, said today he is pushing his agency and the rest of the government to take a more aggressive and accelerated approach to boosting its cyber defenses.

"To be frank, our federal cybersecurity is not where it needs to be," Johnson told a large crowd at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "There is no one silver bullet for cybersecurity."

The key, Johnson added, is to install multiple layers of protection. He also urged Congress to take additional steps, calling for an effort to incentivize private companies to share cyber threat indicators -- without fear of liability.

"We are not where we need to be, and I've made a personal mission of getting us to raise that bar," Johnson said.

He noted that some companies are "very sophisticated" in their cybersecurity, while others are not. "My advice would be invest in the latest and best technology," he said, adding that companies should also be open to sharing information with others, including the government.

Additionally, Johnson noted today that the Department of Homeland Security is working to reform its acquisition process. Asked by an audience member whether the work would apply to other agencies, the former Pentagon general counsel said it would not.

"If you're asking about DOD acquisition, don't get me started," he quipped.