Growing pains at the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, report finds | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"The GAO found that the State Department is addressing challenges at the new bureau tied to role definitions and hiring.\"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/gao-report-cyber-diplomacy\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Growing pains at the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, report finds\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The GAO found that the State Department is addressing challenges at the new bureau tied to role definitions and hiring.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/gao-report-cyber-diplomacy\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-01-12T19:39:17+00:00\"> <meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-01-12T19:39:18+00:00\"> <meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/growing-pains-at-the-bureau-of-cyberspace-and-digital-policy-report-finds-2.jpg\"> <meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\"> <meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1280\"> <meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\"> <meta name=\"author\" content=\"Christian Vasquez\"> <meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\"> <meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@chrismvasq\">  <link rel=\"dns-prefetch\" href=\"\/\/securepubads.g.doubleclick.net\">\n<link rel=\"dns-prefetch\" href=\"\/\/use.typekit.net\">\n<link rel=\"alternate\" type=\"application\/rss+xml\" title=\"CyberScoop \u00bb Feed\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/feed\/\">\n<link rel=\"alternate\" type=\"application\/rss+xml\" title=\"CyberScoop \u00bb Comments Feed\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/comments\/feed\/\"> <link rel=\"stylesheet\" id=\"all-css-2\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-includes\/css\/dist\/block-library\/style.min.css?m=1701905043g\" type=\"text\/css\" media=\"all\"> <link rel=\"stylesheet\" id=\"all-css-6\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/mu-plugins\/search\/elasticpress-next\/dist\/css\/related-posts-block-styles.min.css?m=1704748048g\" type=\"text\/css\" media=\"all\"> <link rel=\"stylesheet\" id=\"all-css-8\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/themes\/scoopnewsgroup\/dist\/css\/frontend.css?m=1704975497g\" type=\"text\/css\" media=\"all\">\n<link rel=\"stylesheet\" id=\"typekit-css\" href=\"https:\/\/use.typekit.net\/itk2qbh.css?ver=7dab012cdc88b5676610\" media=\"all\"> <link rel=\"https:\/\/api.w.org\/\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-json\/\"><link rel=\"alternate\" type=\"application\/json\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78771\"><link rel=\"EditURI\" type=\"application\/rsd+xml\" title=\"RSD\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/xmlrpc.php?rsd\">\n<meta name=\"generator\" content=\"WordPress 6.4.2\">\n<link rel=\"shortlink\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=78771\">\n<link rel=\"alternate\" type=\"application\/json+oembed\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-json\/oembed\/1.0\/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcyberscoop.com%2Fgao-report-cyber-diplomacy%2F\">\n<link rel=\"alternate\" type=\"text\/xml+oembed\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-json\/oembed\/1.0\/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcyberscoop.com%2Fgao-report-cyber-diplomacy%2F&format=xml\">   <link rel=\"icon\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/01\/cropped-cs_favicon-2.png?w=32\" sizes=\"32x32\">\n<link rel=\"icon\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/01\/cropped-cs_favicon-2.png?w=192\" sizes=\"192x192\">\n<link rel=\"apple-touch-icon\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/01\/cropped-cs_favicon-2.png?w=180\">\n<meta name=\"msapplication-TileImage\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/01\/cropped-cs_favicon-2.png?w=270\"> <\/head><body class=\"post-template-default single single-post postid-78771 single-format-standard\" id=\"readabilityBody\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/gao-report-cyber-diplomacy\/#main\" class=\"skip-to-content-link visually-hidden-focusable\">Skip to main content<\/a> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-desktop\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <main id=\"main\" role=\"main\" tabindex=\"-1\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-mobile\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"stickybar\" class=\"stickybar stickybar--newsletter js-stickybar\" readability=\"0.82\"> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"24.484507042254\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"29.333333333333\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/news\/government\/\"> <span>Government<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> The GAO found that the State Department is addressing challenges at the new bureau tied to role definitions and hiring. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/growing-pains-at-the-bureau-of-cyberspace-and-digital-policy-report-finds.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/growing-pains-at-the-bureau-of-cyberspace-and-digital-policy-report-finds-2.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/growing-pains-at-the-bureau-of-cyberspace-and-digital-policy-report-finds-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/growing-pains-at-the-bureau-of-cyberspace-and-digital-policy-report-finds-2.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/growing-pains-at-the-bureau-of-cyberspace-and-digital-policy-report-finds-2.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/growing-pains-at-the-bureau-of-cyberspace-and-digital-policy-report-finds-2.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/growing-pains-at-the-bureau-of-cyberspace-and-digital-policy-report-finds-2.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/growing-pains-at-the-bureau-of-cyberspace-and-digital-policy-report-finds-2.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/growing-pains-at-the-bureau-of-cyberspace-and-digital-policy-report-finds-2.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/growing-pains-at-the-bureau-of-cyberspace-and-digital-policy-report-finds-2.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/growing-pains-at-the-bureau-of-cyberspace-and-digital-policy-report-finds-2.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\"><figcaption> The US Department of State building is seen in Washington, DC, on July 22, 2019. (Photo by Alastair Pike \/ AFP) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"31.678560395428\"><body readability=\"64.917817679558\"><\/p>\n<p>Officials at the State Department are working through roles and hiring challenges at the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, according to a Government Accountability Office report.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gao.gov\/products\/gao-24-105563\">Thursday report<\/a>, which looks at cyber diplomacy efforts in the United States, reported that officials at the new bureau responsible for pushing U.S. cyber policy interests abroad said clarifying roles and responsibilities are an ongoing challenge.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cState officials told us that since cyber issues may be relevant to almost any aspect of diplomacy, communication within State to ensure awareness and visibility of issues so expertise is fully utilized is an important, related challenge,\u201d the report noted.<\/p>\n<p>The bureau was <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/state-departments-cyber-bureau-begins-operations\/\">established in 2022<\/a> following years of negotiations between Congress and multiple presidential administrations, and was one of the major recommendations of the congressionally mandated Cyberspace Solarium Commission. <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/nate-fick-first-cyber-ambassador\/\">Nate Fick<\/a> in 2022 became the State Department\u2019s first ambassador at large for cyberspace and digital diplomacy. <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>One major issue that the GAO raised is that there is not a global agreement on what cyber diplomacy between governments, the private sector and other organizations looks like, contributing to issues and questions with roles.<\/p>\n<p>One example is between the Cyber Diplomacy Bureau\u2019s Digital Freedom unit and the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, which both cover similar roles in free speech online and fair access to the internet, the report notes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCDP\u2019s role is to contribute expertise on tech policy, to collaborate with other State units to develop complementary positions on topics, and to engage with partner countries on statements and other activities, whereas DRL\u2019s role is to advance internet freedom through bilateral and multilateral diplomacy and by funding civil society-led projects,\u201d GAO said.<\/p>\n<p>When multiple offices are involved in similar issues, GAO found that \u201cofficials clarify roles on an ad hoc basis\u201d to avoid such conflicts.<\/p>\n<p>The report also provided an update on previous recommendations from the GAO to the State Department as the new cyber bureau was being established.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A previous report by the GAO in 2020, as the establishment of the cyber bureau was underway, noted that the State Department did not involve other federal agencies that also work in cyber diplomacy. Following the recommendation, State met with senior officials at multiple agencies to identify risks. Another report in 2021 found that <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/gao-evidence-state-cyber-pompeo\/\">State did not demonstrate<\/a> the use of data and evidence to develop the cyber bureau proposal, which was also followed up on by the department to implement that information.<\/p>\n<p>The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based think tank, has also released a <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/fdd-cyber-capacity-building\/\">set of recommendations<\/a> last year for increasing diplomacy efforts through cyber capacity building.<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"1.4941176470588\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"9\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/growing-pains-at-the-bureau-of-cyberspace-and-digital-policy-report-finds-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Christian Vasquez\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Christian Vasquez<\/h4>\n<p> Christian covers industrial cybersecurity for CyberScoop News. He previously wrote for E&E News at POLITICO covering cybersecurity in the energy sector. Reach out: christian.vasquez at cyberscoop dot com <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div class=\"popular-stories__container\">\n<h2 class=\"popular-stories__title\"> More Scoops <\/h2>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<section class=\"latest-podcasts\">\n<h2 class=\"latest-podcasts__title\"> Latest Podcasts\t<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"top-categories\">\n<div class=\"top-categories__container\">\n<h3 class=\"top-categories__category-title\">Technology<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"top-categories__container\">\n<h3 class=\"top-categories__category-title\">Government<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/main> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--bottom \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"interstitial\" class=\"welcome__container\"> <button id=\"close-modal-1\" class=\"welcome__clickable_area\"><\/button> <\/p>\n<div class=\"welcome__ad_wrapper\">\n<p> <button id=\"close-modal-3\" class=\"welcome__continue-button\">Continue to CyberScoop<\/button> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>   <\/body> <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/gao-report-cyber-diplomacy\/\">Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Growing pains at the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1369,1370,1292,1371,117,665,439,318],"tags":[1372,1373,1298,1374,119,667,443,319],"class_list":["post-2349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bureau-of-cyberspace-and-digital-policy","category-diplomacy","category-gao","category-gao-report","category-government","category-nate-fick","category-policy","category-state-department","tag-bureau-of-cyberspace-and-digital-policy","tag-diplomacy","tag-gao","tag-gao-report","tag-government","tag-nate-fick","tag-policy","tag-state-department"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":"","thumbnail":"","medium":"","medium_large":"","large":"","1536x1536":"","2048x2048":"","chromenews-featured":"","chromenews-large":"","chromenews-medium":""},"author_info":{"display_name":"Cyber Scoop","author_link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/author\/cyberscoop\/"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/bureau-of-cyberspace-and-digital-policy\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/diplomacy\/\" rel=\"category tag\">diplomacy<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/gao\/\" rel=\"category tag\">GAO<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/gao-report\/\" rel=\"category tag\">GAO report<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/government\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Government<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/nate-fick\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Nate Fick<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/policy\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Policy<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/state-department\/\" rel=\"category tag\">State Department<\/a>","tag_info":"State Department","comment_count":"0","jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2349"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2349\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

{"id":2349,"date":"2024-01-12T19:39:17","date_gmt":"2024-01-12T19:39:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=78771"},"modified":"2024-01-12T19:39:17","modified_gmt":"2024-01-12T19:39:17","slug":"growing-pains-at-the-bureau-of-cyberspace-and-digital-policy-report-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2024\/01\/12\/growing-pains-at-the-bureau-of-cyberspace-and-digital-policy-report-finds\/","title":{"rendered":"Growing pains at the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, report finds"},"content":{"rendered":"