Defense IT clears hurdle

[InfoSec News <isn () C4I ORG>]

http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2000/1009/web-dod-10-11-00.asp

BY George I. Seffers
10/11/2000

In hammering out differences in House and Senate versions of the
fiscal 2001 Defense authorization bill, House Armed Services Committee
conferees addressed phasing in the Navy/Marine Corps Intranet and
coordinating U.S. information security policy.

Committee conferees announced Oct. 6 that they authorized $309.9
billion $4.5 billion above the White House request. Information
technology provisions of the bill (H.R. 4205) include:

* Forcing the Navy to phase in implementation of the Navy/Marine Corps
Intranet, prohibiting naval shipyards, aviation depots and the Marine
Corps from participating until after budget year 2001.

* Providing $2 million in funding for the Armys Land Information
Warfare Activity, an organization tasked with monitoring Army networks
and helping to coordinate responses to cyberattacks. The organization
was not funded under the presidents budget request.

* Establishing an Electromagnetic Pulse Commission to assess the
threat a nuclear weapon might pose to U.S. information and electronic
systems. Theoretically, a hostile nation could detonate a nuclear
weapon in space above U.S. territory, and the resulting
electromagnetic pulse could wreak havoc on electronic systems,
including automobiles, traffic signals, air traffic control systems,
and military command and control systems.

Conferees steps to reform and coordinate U.S. information security
policy include:

* Authorizing $15 million for a Defense Department information
security scholarship and grant program intended to recruit and retain
computer specialists.

* Authorizing $5 million to establish the Institute for Defense
Computer Security and Information Protection to conduct research and
technology on cyberthreats.

* Requiring the president to report to Congress on each federal
agencys progress on developing internal information security plans.

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