Homeland Security: Don't take away our cybersecurity responsibility
After a week of dealing with critics arguing that some agency other than the U.S. Department of Homeland Security should handle the nation's cybersecurity efforts, Homeland Security has come to its own defense.
DHS Undersecretary Robert Jamison
(Credit: U.S. Department of Homeland Security)DHS Undersecretary Robert Jamison said in a new blog post that "we must stay the course" and cybersecurity responsibility should not be reshuffled.
At multiple hearings last week, members of a cybersecurity commission told Congress that the DHS is incapable of handling cybersecurity, and the responsibility should be moved to the White House. In addition, the commission specifically criticized the lack of leadership from the DHS, which amounts to a direct criticism of Jamison himself.
"The conclusion we reached is only the White House has the authority and oversight for cybersecurity," James Lewis of the Center for Strategic and International Studies told Congress.
On Saturday, Jamison responded to those criticisms on the department's online "Leadership Journal."
"A reorganization of roles and responsibilities is the worst thing that could be done to improve our nation's security posture against very real and increasingly sophisticated cyberthreats," Jamison said. "We have moved beyond words on paper and debate, and are now driving real improvements to our security. We cannot afford to lose that momentum and interagency unity of effort."
Jamison emphasized the progress the DHS has made, which he pointed out to members of the technology industry last week. The DHS has been developing its new intrusion detection system "Einstein 2," which the CSIS cybersecurity commission has acknowledged as a positive step, and the department is continuing to work with the private sector.
"Without question, it is a monumental task--one that requires interagency coordination and focus," he said. "As a nation, we cannot afford to be distracted from this mission."
The CSIS cybersecurity commission has criticized Jamison himself for not providing clear leadership: "There really is no one in charge right now at DHS," said commission member Paul Kurtz.
When asked whether the DHS is satisfied with Jamison's leadership, DHS spokeswoman Amy Kudwa suggested the commission take the advice Jamison offers on the Leadership Journal:
"I encourage them to actually spend some time with DHS discussing our plan before they finalize their conclusions and go public with their recommendations," he wrote.
Stephanie Condon is a staff writer for CNET News focused on the intersection of technology and politics. She is based in Washington, D.C. E-mail Stephanie. 
Infragard is nothing more than an intelligence gathering operation. They will listen to anything you have to say, but they never return the favor (not that that would be a favor). Avoid their meetings too by the way. They have guys in the parking lots who video the license plates of every car in the parking lot during an event and your picture gets taken from afar. I would rather go meet with bin Laden than these jokers. And I mean that. THEY ARE JOKERS.
The government is like a sexually transmitted disease...easy to catch but hard as hell to get rid of.
The last people that should be in charge of cybersecurity are DHS, Infragard, or any government organization like them.
What?!
How about.. "Private Industry" continues to handle this. Worried the "evil terrorists" might get your spam?
I think the marcus sachs of the world have been watching die hard 4 on replay too much, you haven't convinced the public that hackers can really bring down national infrastructure in reality, so get back to the drawing board, you bunch of power hungry chimps.
Next they'll be some mysterious cyber attack, probably some false flag created by marcus sachs and his cronies to artificially kid on to the public and the next administration that the terrorists are now out to get us in the cyber domain.
Who are you kidding guys, keep the symantics for hollywood will you and stop wasting presidential time with this artificially ramped up dooms day scenario ******** about hackers taking over the world.
This is classic: when management fails at its job, simply re-organize those failing and call it progress. Argghh.
The cybersecurity effort belongs in DHS. The White House is a political realm, as it should be, and the NSA operates under little scrutiny when compared to other agencies.
The White House should see that the proper priority is set, a task it never even began, and the NSA should provide technical support as needed. It's really that simple. The more difficult part is staffing the agency with focused, energetic, and competent leadership while paying them very poorly compared to private employers.
For n3d3v, I'm not particularly worried about freelance hackers. I'm worried about cyber warfare that's funded and executed by unfriendly governments. America entered each significant war of the 20th century unprepared as threats went unnoticed and as new ways of making war were initially greeted with disbelief.
At some point, we have to stop making those mistakes.
Perhaps you're not old enough to the precipices we faced and the anguish, on a massive scale, that resulted from underestimating those who oppose our interests. I'd recommend reading a bit of history. It might even help your nearly-incoherent writing.
Crikey, n3td3v, have you got a lot to learn or have you got a lot to learn. If you do not/cannot exercise CyberSpace Controls, you do not have Power and you will be Vulnerable/Victim to ITs Plays.
There is no more Important Space in the World today. It is however, and it is as well to remember [as in never forget] not a Space which can be dominated, it is just a Space Place in which to Plug into for Help .... for it is occupied already by those who Facilitate ITs Leverage. And you may like to confirm that assertion with the Special IntelAIgents Services of the United Kingdoms, for they are most certainly not yet presently deployed in the United States...... which paradoxically, are not United really at all. [but that is entirely another matter which could certainly do with some loving care and attention]
In Global Operating Devices we Trust.
- by Dalkorian September 23, 2008 3:24 PM PDT
- DHS Undersecretary Robert Jamison said in a new blog post that "we must stay the course" and cybersecurity responsibility should not be reshuffled.
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Just like with fuhrer bushit's other failed policies - "stay the course" is their mantra. Funny isn't it? It's important to stay the course when the course has been proven to lead to utter failure because success might lie just beyond that.
It must take some monumental stupidity to believe that trash.