US Law makers voice concerns over cybersecurity plan

Members of the House of Representative sought details, on Thursday, of a $30 billion plan to secure federal government systems and upgrade network defenses to ward off attacks from foreign nations and online criminals.

Known as the Cyber Initiative, the Bush Administration project would dramatically reduce the number of interconnections between federal government networks and the Internet and put more advanced network security in place to monitor data traffic for signs of malicious attacks. While the 5- to 7-year project could dramatically improve the network defenses of government agencies, law makers questioned whether the initiative will be too little, too late, and whether the resulting network monitoring could undermine privacy.

"It's hard to believe that this Administration now believes it has the answers to secure our federal networks and critical infrastructure," Representative Bennie Thompson (D-MS), chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, said in prepared remarks at the opening of the hearing on Thursday. "I believe cybersecurity is a serious problem -- maybe the most complicated national security issue in terms of threat and jurisdiction. This problem will be with us for decades to come." >> More ...

Idaho National Laboratory - Research on National Security

The Idaho National Laporatory's (INL) National and Homeland Security Division is one of serveral organisations inthe USA involved in CNII protection research.

The National and Homeland Security Division conducts sustainable programs focused in Global Security, Homeland Security, National Defense, Energy Security, and Special Programs.

US National Strategy for Homeland Security - October 2007

The US has released the latest document on the National Strategy for Homeland Security this month which has added emphasis on cyber security. The document can be found here.

A quote from the sidebar of that document is as follows:

"Cyber Security: A Special Consideration

Many of the Nation’s essential and emergency
services, as well as our critical infrastructure, rely
on the uninterrupted use of the Internet and the
communications systems, data, monitoring, and
control systems that comprise our cyber infra-
structure. A cyber attack could be debilitating to
our highly interdependent CI/KR and ultimately to
our economy and national security.

A variety of actors threaten the security of our
cyber infrastructure. Terrorists increasingly exploit
the Internet to communicate, proselytize, recruit,
raise funds, and conduct training and operational
planning. Hostile foreign governments have the
technical and financial resources to support
advanced network exploitation and launch attacks
on the informational and physical elements of our
cyber infrastructure. Criminal hackers threaten
our Nation’s economy and the personal informa-
tion of our citizens, and they also could pose a
threat if wittingly or unwittingly recruited by foreign
intelligence or terrorist groups. Our cyber net-
works also remain vulnerable to natural disasters.

In order to secure our cyber infrastructure against
these man-made and natural threats, our Federal,
State, and local governments, along with the pri-
vate sector, are working together to prevent dam-
age to, and the unauthorized use and exploitation
of, our cyber systems. We also are enhancing our
ability and procedures to respond in the event of
an attack or major cyber incident. The National
Strategy to Secure Cyberspace and the NIPP’s
Cross-Sector Cyber Security plan are guiding our
efforts. "