The Internet Security Alliance (ISA) has unveiled a bold new cybersecurity strategy that could strengthen America’s digital defenses without requiring major new government spending. In fact, the alliance argues its plan could save private industry billions while positioning the United States to better defend against both immediate and long-term cyber threats.
The 21-page document, “A Zero Cost Path to American Cybersecurity,” lays out five recommendations that it says can be implemented quickly, pragmatically, and at virtually no cost to the federal government. With White House support, the ISA believes these initiatives could turn cybersecurity from a compliance burden into a competitive advantage, while also securing the nation’s digital future.
Let’s break down the five major recommendations.
1. Cutting Duplicate Cybersecurity Regulations
The first recommendation targets a massive inefficiency in the current system: overlapping and conflicting cybersecurity regulations.
A GAO analysis found that across just four major federal agencies, nearly half to three-quarters of cybersecurity requirements were in direct conflict. For example, there are 45 different incident reporting requirements across 22 agencies—each with their own forms and websites.
The result is that cybersecurity professionals are often stuck in a paperwork trap. Some companies report that 70% of their cyber team’s time is spent on compliance, not actually defending networks. In some cases, nearly half of an organization’s entire cybersecurity budget is consumed by redundant reporting requirements.
As Roger Grimes of KnowBe4 noted, many of these rules contradict each other. While the NIST framework recommends dropping periodic password changes and complexity requirements, other agencies enforce the opposite. This patchwork system not only wastes money but also weakens overall security.
By eliminating duplicative rules, ISA argues that billions could be freed up and redirected toward real security improvements like threat detection, incident response, and proactive defense.
2. Requiring Cost-Benefit Analysis for Cyber Regulations
The ISA also recommends that all cybersecurity regulations undergo a cost-benefit analysis.
The logic is straightforward: despite trillions spent on compliance, there’s little proof that many regulations actually improve cybersecurity outcomes. Large-scale frameworks like OMB Circular A-4 are often ill-suited to cybersecurity because they struggle to capture the value of avoided disasters like ransomware or supply chain breaches.
Critics point out that this could be a double-edged sword. On one hand, requiring agencies to articulate assumptions and weigh proportionality could lead to smarter, more effective regulations. On the other, businesses might exploit the process to argue against necessary rules simply because their benefits are hard to quantify.
As NJIT’s David Bader explained, cybersecurity benefits are often preventative and systemic, making them difficult to model. However, if handled properly, cost-benefit analysis could push agencies to focus resources on the most impactful protections instead of blanket rules.
3. Modernizing the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act
The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA 2015), the cornerstone of public-private collaboration, is set to expire in September 2025 unless renewed. ISA argues that not only should it be reauthorized, it also needs urgent modernization.
CISA was written before today’s realities—such as AI-enabled attacks, cloud vulnerabilities, and advanced supply chain compromises—were fully understood. Its definitions of shareable information are too narrow for today’s environment, slowing the flow of threat intelligence.
Experts also highlight that private-sector participation under the act has been weak. Companies remain hesitant to share indicators of compromise due to liability concerns. ISA recommends that modernization include safe harbor protections for companies sharing in good faith, as well as requirements for the government to provide real-time actionable intel in return.
As Matt Stern of Hypori put it, “Traditional ways of sharing information can’t keep up with the threat. To even reach parity with attackers, we need much faster and more realistic information sharing.”
4. Solving the Cybersecurity Workforce Shortage
Another pillar of ISA’s plan addresses one of the most pressing challenges in cybersecurity: the workforce gap.
Currently, the federal government is short about 35,000 cybersecurity professionals. To fix this, ISA supports the PIVOTT Act (Providing Individuals Various Opportunities for Technical Training).
Under PIVOTT, students would receive federally funded tuition for cybersecurity training programs. In return, they would commit to government service. The initiative aims to enroll 10,000 students annually, theoretically closing the workforce gap in less than four years.
The program also emphasizes an apprenticeship and rotation model, ensuring that skilled practitioners move across agencies rather than remaining siloed. This helps spread expertise more effectively across government.
However, some experts argue that PIVOTT should be paired with greater investment in the Department of Labor’s workforce development system, particularly around certification and “learn-and-earn” programs. Without practical pathways to real-world qualifications, training alone may not fully solve the issue.
5. Creating a National Cybersecurity Dashboard
Finally, ISA calls for the creation of a national macroeconomic cybersecurity dashboard.
The U.S. spends tens of billions annually on cybersecurity, but without a unified model, policymakers lack a clear picture of ROI, systemic risks, and the true economic costs of attacks.
Right now, dozens of agencies conduct separate assessments, often using different methodologies, making it nearly impossible to build a coherent national view.
ISA recommends using the NACD-ISA framework, which has been independently validated and shown to reduce cyber incidents by 85% for organizations that adopt it.
Think of the dashboard as a Cyber Dow Jones Index—not a daily ticker, but a way to measure the overall structural health of the nation’s digital economy. Without it, policymakers are essentially “steering blind” while adversaries treat cyber as a form of macroeconomic warfare.
Final Thoughts
The Internet Security Alliance’s proposals highlight a key truth: throwing more money at cybersecurity is not always the answer. By cutting inefficiencies, modernizing outdated laws, building a stronger workforce, and improving risk visibility, the U.S. can make meaningful progress at little to no cost.
If implemented, these recommendations could reshape cybersecurity into a strategic advantage rather than a regulatory burden—making the nation safer, businesses stronger, and government smarter in how it approaches one of the most urgent challenges of our time.
