Homeland Security sees cyberthreats on the rise

SAN FRANCISCO--Globalization and increased reliance on the Internet raise the risk of cyberattacks, a top U.S. government security official warned Thursday.

The more the technology industry becomes globalized through outsourcing and international expansion, the greater opportunity for flaws to be introduced, Greg Garcia, the Department for Homeland Security's assistant secretary for cybersecurity and telecommunications, said during a speech at the RSA Conference here.

Security is also threatened by the move to rely on the Internet or a converged network based on the Internet Protocol for communications, including voice, video and data as well as other services, Garcia said. "This proliferation of devices and applications within converged networks is going to create a breeding ground for security problems," he said.

The number of attacks is already on the rise. In the final three months of last year, the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team, or US-CERT, received nearly 20,000 incident reports from public and private sources, Garcia said. That compares with 23,000 for the entire 12-month period before that, he said.

"Make no mistake--our networks and systems are vulnerable and they are exposed," Garcia said. "Our adversaries are sophisticated, nimble and organized, and they will stop at nothing to achieve their motives, which include economic gain...espionage, revenge and publicity."

To respond to the threat, Garcia called for broad collaboration among the good guys, a call often heard from the government. In particular, businesses and organizations need to secure their networks and sign up for partnership efforts such as the Information Technology Information Sharing and Analysis Center, or IT-ISAC, Garcia said.

"Please join with your industry colleagues and with DHS," he said. "I would wager that we would see dramatic and measurable improvements in our national defenses against cybercriminals and terrorists and hackers."

To help, Garcia plans to ask Congress to think of possible incentives that would drive investments in security. Also, US-CERT this month will be collaborating with private security monitoring groups, including the National Coordinating Center for Telecommunications and IT-ISAC, he said.

"We can have a collaborative, real-time and trusted information-sharing environment that enables us to see what is happening on our networks and enables us to take immediate steps to fend off attacks," he said.

To test the nation's response to a cyberattack, the Department of Homeland Security plans to hold another major exercise, called Cyberstorm II, in March 2008, Garcia said. A first such exercise happened early last year.

[Commander_Spock]

"To help,...

... Garcia plans to ask Congress to think of possible incentives that would drive investments in security. Also, US-CERT this month will be collaborating with private security monitoring groups, including the National Coordinating Center for Telecommunications and representatives the IT-ISAC..."; Question: since it was pointed out in the opening paragraph of this article that "Globalization and increased reliance on the Internet raise the risk of cyberattacks..." what will be the strategies for collaboration... similar to the "National Coordinating Center" activities but from a global perspective; also, were there any considerations given to possible threats from "outer space" (and how would these be dealt with) at the RSA Conference in general.

[marileev]

seclusion

Good point, it seems to point so subtly to seclusion - that's not how the internet works, and that's not how our governments need to work.

The U.S. isn't the only one dealing with their secrets getting leaked. The UK Ministry of Defense has had trouble keeping its information a secret http://www.iwantmyess.com/?p=88

[poeziile12]

agree

I agree with your ideeas.
http://www.poeziile.com/ro/top-autori.php

To be onest someone shoud be right and now you are.

[darmik2005]

qa

cyberterrorism is nustoppable in the internet

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http://iphone.emigrantas.com - iPhone blog

[Commander_Spock]

"cyberterrorism is nustoppable...

... in the internet..."; How about ODO (Star Fleet's Intelligence Officer) being appointed officially as JUDGE, JURY and "EXECUTIONER" as a deterrent to cyber-terrorism!

[marileev]

Sophisticated, Really?

So Garcia says, "our adversaries are sophisticated, nimble and organized..." How about that Homeland Sec. is disorganized, or organizations don't seem to disseminate good Risk Policies. When USBs and machines can walk out of our encampment and make their way to an Afghanistan market, we're not looking at the broad picture http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12318768/

Now the FBI's also looking at our email http://news.com.com/FBI+turns+to+broad+new+wiretap+method+-+page+2/2100-7348_3-6154457-2.html?tag=st.num Can the government really keep its reins on all this data?

Personal computing is global, so are our defenses. Organizations like DHS and Homeland Sec have to get it together across boundaries.

Oh, and lest we forget that a cat burglar swiped the VA's laptop last may... sophisticated... really?

[Commander_Spock]

"Organizations like DHS and Homeland Sec ...

... have to get it together across boundaries..."; and, with a sound knowledge of "world" geography, across inter-agencies and in "R_E_A_L-T_I_M_E" too. Could one imagine a scenario as in the case of an incoming "rogue" ICBM where a NORAD Fighter Joc. does not know where JFK is!