Clarke Unveils Cybersecurity Plans

Presidential cybersecurity adviser Richard Clark announced Dec. 4 two federal initiatives for improving the security of the nation's information infrastructure.

He said the government next month expects to open a national center for infrastructure simulation and analysis, and soon will create a cyberwarning intelligence network linking major government and commercial network operations centers.

Clarke made the comments at the Global Tech Summit in Washington, hosted by the Business Software Alliance. The announcements are part of a broader effort to foster closer collaboration between the public and private sectors.

Clarke said the administration wants to produce a national strategy for improving cybersecurity within the next few months.

The infrastructure simulation center would address one of the thorniest problems for security research: figuring out how elements on even simple networks interoperate. The center would model interrelated infrastructures, including the Internet, telephone networks and power grids, to examine the effects that incidents on one have on the others.

The cyberwarning intelligence network would facilitate communications among government and commercial entities.

Clarke also said President Bush endorses a recent bill, introduced by Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, and dubbed the Critical Infrastructure Information Security Act, to amend the Freedom of Information Act to protect information shared by companies with the government.