Barack Obama’s plan for improving the security of cyberspace will include some form of financial incentive to encourage the development of safer technology, the US president’s senior aide on the issue suggested ­on Wednesday.

In her first public remarks since delivering a clean-slate review to the president last Friday, Melissa Hathaway, acting senior director for cyberspace on the National Security Council, gave what she described as the “movie trailer” for the unclassified version of the report, which she said would be released “in the coming days”.