GLOBAL CHALLENGES

Collaboration, Coordination Coming Slowly to U.S. Government Cyber-security Efforts

Michael Steinhart | Date: 11-12-10 | Comments

The U.S. Department of Defense achieved an important step in coordinating its cyber-war resources this month.

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Collaboration, Coordination Coming Slowly to U.S. Government Cyber-security Efforts
Earlier this month, the Department of Defense announced that U.S. Cyber Command has achieved full operational capability (FOC). According to news reports, Cyber Command brings together hundreds of personnel from the Joint Task Force for Global Network Operations and the Joint Functional Component Command for Network Warfare�two subgroups of the DOD that have officially been dissolved and absorbed into the new entity.

The emblem for the new U.S. Cyber Command center. The gold band around the eagle includes a hash code of the agency's mission statement.

Cyber Command is responsible for defending the DOD's networks against cyber-attacks. According to Army Times, the Defense Department operates about 15,000 networks, and currently has about 90,000 personnel dedicated to working on those networks.

Based in Fort Meade, Md., Cyber Command is also tasked with coordinating cyber-security efforts across government agencies, like the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Security Agency (NSA), which have their own expansive security arms.

There are long-standing rules governing the deployment of military resources on domestic soil, and thus the DHS and DOD have maintained separate operations, for the most part. In times of emergency or natural disaster, however, the president can order military personnel to help. A similar arrangement has been put in place for Cyber Command.

In October, the DOD and DHS signed an agreement to collaborate more closely on cyber-related issues to merge civilian and military cyber-security efforts. At that time, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano opened the new National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC), a monitoring and warning center designed to address threats and incidents affecting the nation's critical information technology and cyber infrastructure.

"Securing America's cyber infrastructure requires a coordinated and flexible system to detect threats and communicate protective measures to our federal, state, local and private sector partners and the public," Napolitano said. "Consolidating our cyber and communications operations centers within the NCCIC will enhance our ability to effectively mitigate risks and respond to threats."

In cases of dire need, the DHS can call upon additional "firepower" from the DOD.

From The New York Times story:

"The new approach will begin with a Department of Homeland Security team deploying to Fort Meade, Md., home to both the National Security Agency, which specializes in electronic espionage, and the military's new Cyber Command. In exchange, a team of military networking experts would be assigned to the operations center at the Homeland Security Department."

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