[Cybra security] U.S. Department Of Homeland Security

[Hellfighter]

Remarks by Secretary Michael Chertoff U.S. Department Of Homeland Security at the Commonwealth Club

Cyber Security

We know the private sector and high tech world’s technological expertise must play a role in deterring these kinds of physical attacks. However, when it comes to securing the cyber systems that connect and control much of our infrastructure, we depend on our technology providers to take a direct role and partner with us in cyber risk assessment and mitigation to achieve the measure of security we all desire.

Our cyber systems have linked us together – nationally, globally – in dramatic and remarkable ways. It’s particularly remarkable for those of us who remember what it was like in the dark ages back when you had to actually mail letters, watch movies in a theater, and wait for the newspaper to be delivered – a time some call “prehistoric.”

Securing our cyber systems is critical not only to ensure a way of life to which we’ve grown accustomed, but more importantly to protect the vast infrastructure these systems support and operate. During our review, cyber security was one of the issues we evaluated to determine how we could improve the protective measures already in place and elevate our preparedness in this essential area.

There are several steps we must take. These include maintaining and enhancing a robust cyberspace response system, furthering information sharing and supporting working partnerships between government and industry – operationally and on strategic issues such as software assurance and corporate governance.

In addition, we must work to integrate cyber priorities into our infrastructure protection plans and prepare ourselves to respond to new technology threats.

Currently, we are working to finalize a National Infrastructure Protection Plan that will offer baseline preparedness plans and response protocols for seventeen critical infrastructure sectors and resources including Information Technology, Agriculture, Water, and Energy.

We’re working closely with a variety of stakeholders to develop our plan for the IT portion, but we’re also looking at the kind of impact IT has on other infrastructures.

For example, power grids, water treatment facilities, financial institutions all of these utilize computer systems and software to operate, so we have to coordinate closely to ensure the systems that are making our infrastructure assets more efficient do not expose them to vulnerabilities a terrorist could exploit.

As such, we are looking at all aspects of cyber in our risk management approach to identify threats, reduce vulnerabilities, and provide protective measures to mitigate and manage the consequences of an attack.

From standing up a 24/7 cyber threat watch and analysis center, to establishing a cyber alert system, to providing resources to counter the latest virus, worm, or other intrusion, there is a lot government has done and more we can do to increase cyber security.

However, the reality is that the vast majority of our cyber assets are privately owned and operated. It therefore follows that security cannot take the form of government dictates, but must be the product of strong partnership work and disciplined collaboration.

That being said, we must continue to ask ourselves: How can we facilitate that collaboration? What are the barriers to public/private partnership? What can we do as a government to help industry implement enhanced security measures? Incentives? More Resources? These are the questions we are working with industry to answer and act upon together.

During our review of the Department, it was evident that to address these issues, we needed to elevate cyber security within our organizational structure. To accomplish this, as well as enhance the coordination of our efforts to protect our technological infrastructure, we created a new Assistant Secretary for Cyber and Telecommunications Security.

This position will serve to support the security of the resources so critical to our nation and so fundamental to the work many of you do here in Silicon Valley. This is a position the tech community has recommended and asked for – we listened to that input and acted upon it – and we will continue to be open to your suggestions so we can better work together on our shared challenges.

Going forward, the Assistant Secretary for Cyber and Telecom will play an integral part as we implement our information technology infrastructure protection plan, as well as prepare for a large scale cyber security exercise this November to test our preparedness.

In protecting the homeland, we will always seek reasonable balance. Security is an overriding reality, but we must fight the urge to clamp down in fear and bring our society to a standstill.

Our anti-terrorism efforts must be based on assessments of risk not reaction to attacks. In the face of terror, there will always be a temptation to panic, to react, but we must be steady, unwavering -- dedicated to the task at hand – committed to “think anew” as Lincoln called us.

If anything, we can draw great wisdom and strength from Lincoln’s example. He remained a calm and reassuring presence when civil war threatened to tear our nation apart.

We, too, must remain calm, yet resolved – resolved to make difficult decisions, to adapt when necessary, and to never relinquish our commitment to the values of hope, freedom, and democracy that have defined our character through many past storms and will sustain us through those to come.

there are other subjects to read he talk about:
1.) Technology.
2.) Preparedness.
3.) Borders and Immigration.
4.) Transportation Security.
5.) Mass Transit.
6.) Cyber Security.

if you like to read the whole, I think it is good to read all the other area's he talk about.
HLS Link: http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interap...peech_0258.xml

[BADDOG]

Now that is a very interesting article.

Warm Regards