Cybersecurity: What Will the Attention Span Be This Time?
The idea that the White House would be interested in cybersecurity is not new. At least since former President Bush appointed Richard Clarke as National Coordinator for Security, Infrastructure Protection and Counterterrorism there has been some level of attention to this topic. But this attention has seemed to fade quite quickly after someone is appointed to a high-level cybersecurity czar-like role. Most people who have taken on that role have quickly quit in frustration.
Obama's Cybersecurity Initiative Wins Praise
We can all hope that the results will be different when President Obama completes the start-up of the White House's latest cybersecurity initiative by appointing a cybersecurity coordinator.
The president said lots of good things when he revealed his cybersecurity plans last week.He announced the release of the 60-day cyberspace policy review and aired "a new comprehensive approach to securing America's digital infrastructure."He announced a five-part approach:
* Treat the U.S. digital infrastructure as a "strategic national asset" and appoint a cybersecurity coordinator who will have "regular access" to the president.
* Work with state and local governments as well as the private sector to ensure an "organized and unified response to future cyber incidents".
* Collaborate with industry to find technical solutions that ensure our security, but "will not dictate security standards for private companies".
* Invest in research.
* Promote cybersecurity awareness and digital literacy.
He made a point of saying that the cybersecurity plans will not involve monitoring private sector networks and that he is committed to net neutrality to "keep the Internet as it should be -- open and free."
He said lots of good things, but there will be a lot of opportunities to have this initiative wind up as the prior ones have -- window dressing that does not even successfully hide the real cybersecurity problems facing the country and the world.
The administration's plans seem to mostly come from the 60-day cyberspace review led by Melissa Hathaway, the cybersecurity chief at the U.S. National Security Council. There is also a lot of good stuff in this report. But there are parts I do worry about.
The report includes a table listing a 10-point near-term action plan. Most of the plan is reflected in the president's announcement but a few parts did not make it. For example, the report calls for the designation of a "privacy and civil liberties official," but the president did not mention that point.
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