Forwarded from: William Knowles <wk@c4i.org>
http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2004/1206/web-dhs-12-06-04.asp
By Dibya Sarkar
Dec. 6, 2004
Members of the House Select Homeland Security Committee have
recommended establishing a new assistant secretary position within the
Homeland Security Department to better integrate and coordinate
cybersecurity issues.
The recommendation is one of six suggestions listed in a new 41-page,
bipartisan report [1] that was released today by the committee's
cybersecurity subcommittee. The report stated that although DHS
officials have created the National Cyber Security Division and
several other coordination entities, "now is the time to build
toward more robust capabilities."
It also stated DHS officials need to exert more effort to work with
the private sector and across critical infrastructure sectors in
addition to state and local governments. Specifically, the report
said officials should:
* Create an assistant secretary position within DHS' Information
Analysis and Infrastructure Protection Directorate to improve
integration within the department and coordination of best
practices, risk assessments and warnings across government and the
private sector.
* Develop a comprehensive and detailed program about current and
future plans, implementation guidance and staff recruitment,
retention and assignment goals. They should also provide budget
information that would be linked to the national strategy.
* Update the outreach, coordination and information sharing plan with
the private sector, considering different needs of groups and
innovative mechanisms for information sharing.
* Improve performance on cybersecurity risk assessments and
remediation activities that would include a plan for
Internet-related recovery. They should also improve coordination with
"cyber first responders" across the government and private sectors.
* Identify specific initiatives in which DHS' cybersecurity division
and the National Communications Systems, a two-dozen member federal
interagency group that coordinates and plans for national security
and emergency communications during crises, can work together
because of their similar missions. Officials should advance the
convergence of voice and data technology.
* Support research and development and educational activities to
improve products and services that are user-friendly.
[1] http://hsc.house.gov/files/cybersecurityreport12.06.04.pdf
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