NSA to Defend Against Hackers Baltimore Sun (09/20/07) P. 1A; Gorman, Siobhan
as it appeared in the September 17, 2007 edition of ACM TechNews.
The National Security Agency is planning a new "Cyber Initiative," an effort to enlist federal agencies to monitor Internet-based control systems for electricity grids, subways, nuclear power plants, and other infrastructure to prevent unauthorized intrusions. Initially, as many as 2,000 workers from DHS, NSA, and other agencies could be assigned to the project. The plan is a major shift in NSA practices, according to former and current intelligence officials. The new domestic role for the NSA, which traditionally focused on the government's classified networks, would require a revision of the agency's charter. NSA officials would not discuss any specific programs, but did say that cybersecurity is a critical objective for the agency. Cybersecurity has long been an unwanted responsibility, with various federal agencies managing small portions of it, but the NSA, for the most part, was not involved. The Department of Homeland Security's first chief of cybersecurity, Amit Yoran, says that although the government has made progress, in general federal efforts are "somewhat spotty." One of the biggest problems is that the DHS is responsible for the problem, but does not have the authority or expertise to get other agencies and the private sector to adhere to regulations. Current and former intelligence officials, including several NSA veterans, warn that the new NSA network monitoring program could create new privacy concerns. "If you're going to do cybersecurity, you have to spy on Americans to secure Americans," says a former government official familiar with NSA operations. "It would be a very major step." Click Here to View Full Article
