07 January 2000
(Asks Congress for a 17% increase in funding for this purpose) (500) By Stephanie L. Cupp Washington File Staff Writer Washington -- President Clinton has announced a national plan to protect U.S. information technology (IT) from cyberterrorism, the first such plan launched by any nation. "Thanks to the hard work of many people, our computer systems were ready for Y2K," Clinton told reporters January 7. "But that experience," he said, "did underscore how really interconnected we all are. Today, our critical systems -- from power structures to air traffic control -- are connected and run by computers. We must make those systems more secure so that America can be more secure." The administration plans to request a 17 percent increase in funding beyond the current budget for fighting cyberterrorism, bringing the total requested to $2,030 million for IT security in fiscal year 2001, which begins next October 1. Twenty-two federal agencies in partnership with IT companies in the private sector have been included in the planning, with particular emphasis being placed on the area of research and development. "Cooperation rather than new regulations will bring more resources to the table, and we will then have the opportunity to produce results faster," said Commerce Secretary William Daley in a White House briefing on the plan. He pointed out that the U.S. economy "is much more dependent as we enter this next century on information technologies," and the "defending of this economy is most important" to the United States. The proposed plan includes funding for information technology scholarships, to be provided to college students in exchange for a period of public service. "Universities have begun to address this workforce need, but if we are to accelerate the numbers of competent professionals at the rate that is required, federal support for faculty development and student assistance is essential," asserted Linwood Rose, President of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. "It is imperative," he said, that university undergraduate programs be developed to prepare information security specialists. Rose said that economic growth in the United States has been fueled by its leadership in information technology, making it more dependent upon computing and electronic networks than any other country in the world. These systems, he said, "if not carefully protected, may be accessed by those whose intentions are much more serious than just mischief." "To protect these systems, we must have more information assurance people -- people who have the talent and expertise to evaluate system vulnerabilities, who understand encryption methodologies to protect critical data, and who are able to design trusted systems and provide for intruder monitoring and detection." The proposed plan also would provide funding for a new institute to bring together computer scientists and engineers from the private sector, universities and research facilities to accelerate and broaden research into computer security. (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State.)