[ISN] White House reviews nation's cybersecurity

From: InfoSec News <alerts_at_private>
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2010 03:12:57 -0500 (CDT)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/23/AR2010092305431.html

By Ellen Nakashima
Washington Post Staff Writer
September 23, 2010

The White House is reviewing whether to ask for new authorities for the 
Defense Department and other government agencies to ensure that the 
nation's critical computer systems are protected in the event of a major 
attack, the commander of the Pentagon's new Cyber Command said Thursday.

If an adversary were to penetrate the U.S. power grid or other critical 
systems with an "unknown capability," those systems probably would "shut 
down," Gen. Keith Alexander told members of the House Armed Services 
Committee.

Cyber Command is tasked with protecting only military computer networks. 
"It is not my mission to defend, today, the entire nation," Alexander 
said.

Deciding who should execute what role in defending the nation against 
cyberattack is a thorny issue, complicated by the fact that the agency 
tasked with assisting the private sector - the Department of Homeland 
Security - lags the Defense Department in personnel, resources and 
capabilities. 

[...]


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Received on Fri Sep 24 2010 - 01:12:57 PDT

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