Forwarded From: "Prosser, Mike" <Mike_Prosserat_private> [ya'all can draw you own conclusions...I have mine! -Mike] 6/16/98 [WS] Defense News June 15-21, 1998 U.S. Congress Attacks Cyber Defense Funds By George I. Seffers Defense News Staff Writer WASHINGTON-- Congress is taking millions of dollars from the war chest intended to protect critical U.S. infrastructure from potentially crippling cyber attacks, according to Defense Department and White House sources. The House Appropriations Committee deleted the entire $69.9 million the Defense Department had requested for infrastructure protection in its 1999 budget. That funding should be restored, Linton Wells, principal deputy for the assistant secretary of defense for command, control, communications and intelligence, told lawmakers at a June 11 hearing here on protecting national infrastructures-- telecommunications, banking and finance, energy, transportation, and essential government services-- from cyber attack. The hearing was held jointly by the House National Security military procurement and the military research and development subcommittees. A source with the Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office told Defense News June 11 that the Senate Armed Services Committee had taken away $30 million of the Defense Department's infrastructure protection funds, even though the House National Security Committee left the funds untouched. The differences will have to hammered out when the congressional committees go into conference later this year. But the source said he fears the trend will continue. "This has proven to be a tempting target for Congress because there is no program yet," he said "What worries me is that we're so stretched thin with personnel, we can't get anyone over there to defend it." Having Congress strip away money makes the already difficult goal of protecting infrastructure from cyber attack even tougher, a Pentagon source said June 11. Cyber attacks would include attempts by hackers, foreign governments or terrorists to break into a computer system and disrupt its functions. All critical U.S. infrastructures are becoming increasingly reliant on computers and, therefore, are increasingly vulnerable. "There are a lot of things that will stand in our way as it is. It's a laudable goal, and we will do our best, but a goal without funding is fantasy," the Pentagon source said. The amount of money available to fund critical infrastructure protection is hard to determine, in part because it only became a bona fide government effort May 22, when President Bill Clinton signed two directives. In the directives, Clinton created the Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office within the Department of Commerce, and set a five-year goal for being able to protect critical infrastructures. In addition, the president created: * A national center to warn of, and respond to, cyber and physical attacks on the infrastructures. * A national coordinator office to focus on critical infrastructure protection, foreign terrorism and domestic weapons of mass destruction, including biological weapons. * A National Infrastructure Protection Center within the FBI to promote information sharing between various departments, agencies and the private sector and to coordinate a response to hacker attacks, investigate threats and monitor reconstitution efforts. * An Information Sharing and Analysis Center drawn from state and local officials to provide guidance to the policy formulation of a national plan. A figure for the exact amount to fund critical infrastructure protection is not available, Gordy Bendick, spokesman for the Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office, said June 11. In part, this is because the effort has been under way a few weeks, and intelligence agencies, which do not often reveal budget figures, are donating some of the money, he said. The Commerce Department is expected to dedicate about $20 million in 1999, the Justice Department about $70 million. The Transportation Department also is expected to contribute, but Bendick said he does not yet know how much. Jeffrey Hunker, director of the Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office, said it is not now necessary for the White House to ask Congress for more money. But he said he may request more in the 2000 budget. "It's very important [that] before we start throwing money at this problem, we understand specifically where the money is already being spent, where it isn't being spent and how we avoid duplicative programs," Hunker said. Despite the challenges, Hunker told Defense News he is confident the White House will meet its five-year goal. The President's Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection last year recommended an additional $2 billion be invested in research and development alone, a recommendation ignored by Clinton May 22 when he signed the two directives. -o- Subscribe: mail majordomoat_private with "subscribe isn". Today's ISN Sponsor: Repent Security Incorporated [www.repsec.com]
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