Cybersecurity Information Sharing Between Public-Private Sector Agencies

Government agencies, businesses, and individuals alike have become more dependent on technology, and the desire and need for interconnectedness has led to increasing network vulnerability affecting both government and private sectors. Recognizing both government and private sector agencies individually lack the capabilities to defend against cyber threats, President Obama has called for a more robust and resilient cybersecurity alliance that encourages information-sharing partnerships with private sector owners and operators in charge of protecting U.S. critical infrastructure. Despite the recent drive for cyber legislation and policies, government agencies and private companies have seemed reluctant to share information related to cyber-attacks and threats with one another. To discover the deeper underlying issues that inhibit public-private cooperation, and to evaluate the effectiveness of public-private partnerships (PPPs) to advance cyber information sharing, this thesis examines the banking and finance sector of U.S. critical infrastructure sector. In doing so, it identifies reasons why information-sharing problems exist between government agencies and private companies; investigates how PPPs satisfy national cybersecurity needs; and, in turn, reveals issues for policymakers to consider when shaping policies that encourage an open dialog between the public and private sector.