The Cyberspace Power Struggle Has Begun

June 4, 2009 by ADMIN

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By Kevin M. Nixon, Information-Security-Resources.com Security Editor

In the late 1970’s and 1980’s many cities around the world sold T-Shirts which simply said, “Nowhere Else but … [insert favorite city name]”.

Yesterday as I read an article by Nick Hoover in Information Week, I realized that Washington DC must still cling to that slogan.

Nick reported on a perfect example of ossified thought & process. Rand Beers, a “yet to be approved nominee” as an Under Secretary of DHS is quoted as saying, “The department’s operational responsibility won’t be undercut by the cybersecurity coordinator.”

Something tells me that Mr. Beers was one of those kids elementary school who received an “Unsatisfactory” rating to the “Plays Well With Others” social skills category on back of his 2^nd grade report card.

It also seems that Mr. Beers is unaware Senate Bill 778 sponsored by Senator J. D. Rockefeller, IV (WV) along with cosponsors Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN), Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Senator Olympia J. Snowe (D-ME) to establish, within the Executive Office of the President, the Office of National Cybersecurity Advisor.

He probably needs to read a copy of the new bill, before he appears before the confirmation committee.

I served on the Executive Board of Directors for the Internet Security Alliance (2001 - 2004) and supported the creation of the Department of Homeland Security.

I continue to make the rounds on Capitol Hill meeting with US Senators and Representatives and their Congressional Staffs as a subject matter expert on all types of IT Security, Data Privacy, Cybersecurity and GRC issues to provide our elected officials with a real worldview into the impact their legislative actions can have, both positive and negative.

My support of DHS initiatives comes from on my belief that increased communication and information sharing breaks down what Washington calls “stovepipes” or “silos” of information.

Over the past 8 years, DHS has certainly improved Cybersecurity data protection and for that I am pleased, however, as far as fewer stovepipes and silos from increased information sharing, DHS may have reverted to an old habit in the quest for data protection.

It seems that the previous administration wasn’t attentive to how the children were playing in the sandbox, and as a result, DHS created thicker stovepipe and silo walls.

I’ve been doing this long enough to know that in Washington, some things progress gradually as trust is established. Sometimes that means progress moves 2 steps forward and 1 step backward.

Regardless of political position, everyone should buy the t-shirt “No Where Else but DC!” the shirts come in all sizes and Red, Blue and White. I recommend White. It can double as a flag of surrender.

Nick Hoover’s article is reprinted in full below, and I hope you enjoy it as I did. (You can follow Nick’s tweets on Twitter. He hides under the name @iweeknick - tweet him and tell him @bitnibbler sent you.

(Follow me on Twitter: @bitnibbler)

Kevin M. Nixon, MSA, CISSP®, CISM®, CGEIT®, has testified as an expert witness before the Congressional High Tech Task Force, the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. He has also served on infrastructure security boards and committees including the Disaster Recovery Workgroup for the Office of Homeland Security, and as a consultant to the Federal Trade Commission.

The Author gives permission to link, post, distribute, or reference the above article for any lawful purpose, provided attribution is made to the author and to Information-Security-Resources.com

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Homeland Security Keeping Central Cybersecurity Role

By J. Nicholas Hoover at InformationWeek

The White House has made it clear that the Department of Homeland Security will continue to have a central operational role in federal cybersecurity despite the looming appointment of a cybersecurity coordinator, a nominee for a top post at the department told Congress Tuesday.

Rand Beers, nominee for undersecretary of the Department of Homeland Security for the National Protection and Programs Directorate, which among its roles plays a hand in federal cybersecurity, said that deputy national security adviser John Brennan told him as recently as Tuesday morning, as others had before then, that Homeland Security’s operational responsibility will not be undercut by the cybersecurity coordinator.

“There was no realignment of roles and missions in the department, and it is the view in the White House that the Department of Homeland Security will continue to play a central role in the protection of America’s cyber infrastructure,” Beers said.

According to Beers, the White House will play a bit of the peacemaker role. “I’m sorry to say we need help from the White House for people to play in the same sandbox,” he said.

While it’s clear that the Department of Homeland Security believes it will retain its responsibility for cybersecurity, what’s less certain is whether the White House will shift any of that responsibility, or exactly how the White House will step in to broker peace in turf wars like the one between DHS and the National Security Agency earlier this year that sent then-director of the National Cyber Security Center at DHS packing, resignation letter in hand.

“DHS has a major role both in the civilian side of the U.S. government and in the private sector for drawing together the best defensive measures and the best partnership for making this nation’s cyber infrastructure secure,” Beers said in his testimony. “I believe DHS is the logical place for that responsibility to reside.”

While Beers would focus much of his attention on cybersecurity in his new role, he would also be responsible for other technology-related programs like the U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-Visit) program, which will eventually scan foreign visitors’ biometrics when they enter the country, as well as DHS’s risk management and analysis office.