DHS mulls shift in cyberczarâs power
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Homeland Security Department officials are reviewing the status of their cybersecurity chief, a position now vacant following the abrupt resignation of Amit Yoran See GCN story.
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WASHINGTON - A cybersecurity advocacy group on Tuesday called on U.S. President George Bush to focus more resources on computer issues and elevate the top IT security position at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to the assistant secretary level.
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Top Democrat suggests CIO isn't fit to keep his job amid reports of security-related "incidents." CIO points to "significant progress."
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) finally named a leader for its cybersecurity efforts on Monday, fulfilling a promise made last July by an agency that has drawn poor marks for digital security.
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The Central Intelligence Agency has been rocked in recent weeks by changes brought by new director Porter Goss, and the shake-up could continue with the appointment of a tough deputy director.
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Blog: A congressional panel has been investigating how the agency handles threats to its own network. On Wednesday, it's set to put the department's top tech official on the spot.
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Democrats who will take over leadership positions in Congress next month doubt that the Department of Homeland Security can achieve nationwide communications interoperability by the end of 2008. One analyst said it might take 20 years.
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Feds say switching browsers is one way to deal with security threats.
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The Department of Homeland Security has named an acting US cybersecurity chief as Congress weighed whether to give the position greater clout to fight hackers, viruses and other online threats.
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The Department of Homeland Security  named an acting U.S. cybersecurity chief on Thursday as  Congress weighed whether to give the position greater clout to  fight hackers, viruses and other online threats.
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(InfoWorld) - SAN FRANCISCO -- U.S. companies and the federal government need to step up and fix the problems in their computer networks, the nation's new cybersecurity czar told attendees during his first-ever address atÂ RSA ConferenceÂ here on Thursday. Within the next 10 years, the majority of the world's communication needs will probably be handled by the Internet, said Gregory Garcia, the assistant secretary for cybersecurity and telecommunications at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). "This proliferation of applications and devices within the converged network is going to create a breeding ground for security problems," he said. "Our networks and our systems are vulnerable and they are exposed." Garcia outlined two priorities for the year ahead. First, his office is working with federal agencies to adopt common security policies and practices. Second, he plans to work with the private sector to push forward a process called the National Infrastructure Protection Plan. This effort is intended to evaluate computer security risks on an industry-by-industry basis and outline the steps that need to be taken to address them. The broad strokes of this plan were outlined last June, and the DHS is now working with industry to flesh out sector-specific plans, Garcia said. He made it clear that the DHS expects U.S. companies to participate. "There are a lot of plans in Washington. This one is going to stick," he said. "The private sector owns and operates 90 percent of the critical infrastructure, and it's up to you all, not just the DHS, to secure this infrastructure." Companies looking for best practices already have a number of standards they can consider, Garcia said, pointing to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 17799 specification and the guidelines prescribed by Technet, an IT industry association. Computer security has not been a top priority at the DHS, which has paid far more attention to physical security threats to the nation since its inception in 2003. And though DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff tried to put a sharper focus on computer security by creating Garcia's high-level post in 2005, the position remained vacant for more than a year. Garcia was introduced Thursday by Art Coviello, president of EMC's RSA group, who said afterward that he was encouraged by the assistant secretary's speech. "It's a combination of carrot and stick," he said in an interview. "Chiding industry to actually comply with these standards that are out there, and a veiled threat of regulation to get things done." Coviello said that cybersecurity has "languished a bit" within DHS ever since U.S. President George W. Bush signed off on his administration's comprehensive cybersecurity plan in 2003. "The Department and Secretary [Tom] Ridge and Secretary Chertoff obviously focused on the right things -- physical threats -- but now it's time to get after the critical infrastructure from the cyber side," Coviello said in the interview. "I don't think industry is looking for a lot of regulation from government," he added. "What they are looking for is leadership."
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The inspector general for the Justice Department is also concerned that taking money from other FBI programs could hinder efforts in counterterrorism and cybercrime.
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WASHINGTON - The head of cybersecurity efforts at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reportedly resigned this week, leaving his job after giving a one-day notice.
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The selection of Bernard B. Kerik as the new secretary of homeland security may signal sweeping changes at a sprawling new department still struggling to find its place.
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Yoran helped form US-CERT, the government&#39;s cybersecurity information clearing house, but was reportedly frustrated with his post&#39;s limited authority and budgets.
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Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said yesterday that the role of overseeing computer security and the Internet should have a higher profile at the agency, in the face of increasing concern from technology executives and experts that cyber-security is getting inadequate attention.
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Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge told industry executives Tuesday he supports appointment of a senior cybersecurity chief higher in his department with broader authority and more control over spending. The department later pulled back from the idea.