US President Barack Obama has called for an overhaul of aging government networks by unveiling a new “National Action Plan” aimed at bolstering cybersecurity.

Obama, making the announcement on Tuesday, asked for $19 billion for cybersecurity efforts in his budget request, a 35 percent increase from current levels, with $3 billion allocated to modernization of patchwork of computer systems used in government agencies.

"It is no secret that too often government IT is like an Atari game in an Xbox world," Obama said in a column in the Wall Street Journal.

"The Social Security Administration uses systems and code from the 1960s. No successful business could operate this way. Going forward, we will require agencies to increase protections for their most valued information and make it easier for them to update their networks," he added.

Referring to the “National Action Plan”, Obama said it would "address both short-term and long-term threats, with the goal of providing every American a basic level of online security."

The move comes in the wake of recent attacks on health care networks and a devastating cyber attack on Sony Pictures.
"These cyber threats are among the most urgent dangers to America's economic and national security," Obama said.
Obama issued an executive order creating a 12-member cybersecurity commission to make recommendations to both the public and private sectors.

Meanwhile, a White House statement said the plan calls for a new federal chief information security officer to direct cybersecurity across the federal government, adding that it would step up efforts with the private sector to improve online security.

By Press TV