As part of a comprehensive cybersecurity push, the U.S. government will focus on improving its network defense capabilities and revamping acquisition rules to protect against malicious code installed during the manufacturing process of electronic devices.

The National Cybersecurity Initiative, announced in January, will replace the government's outdated network perimeter defense system, officials from the and other agencies said at the cybersecurity conference held last month by the Information Technology Association of America.

Cyberattacks have grown more sophisticated in the past year, says Melissa Hathaway, senior advisor for cybersecurity at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI).

"We are faced with a dangerous combination of known and unknown vulnerabilities, strong adversary capabilities and very weak situational awareness at this time," she says. "We see this as a growing economic and national security crisis."

Government officials are increasingly concerned about hidden vulnerabilities and Trojan horses in commercial technology products, says Paul Schneider, deputy secretary at DHS. The U.S. government needs to better protect its supply chain, particularly when a growing number of tech products are produced overseas.