Obama Makes Cybersecurity a National Security Priority

President Obama has declared cybersecurity a national security priority and promised to secure the nation's networks. Citing the chaos surrounding the Conficker worm, the president promised to name a White House official to coordinate cybersecurity. Obama also promised not to monitor Internet traffic or "dictate security standards." President Barack Obama cited the disorganized response to the widespread Conficker worm Friday as he declared cybersecurity a priority for national security . He promised to personally select a cybersecurity coordinator to head a new White House office. He said the Internet "is a world that we depend on every single day. It's our hardware and our software, our desktops and laptops and cell phones and Blackberries that have become woven into every aspect of our lives." Consequently, he added, cyber threats are "one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation." "Millions of Americans have been victimized, their privacy violated, their identities stolen, their lives upended, and their wallets emptied," the president said. "According to one survey, in the past two years alone cybercrime has cost Americans more than $8 billion." Because "No single official oversees cybersecurity policy across the federal government, and no single agency has the responsibility or authority to match the scope and scale of the challenge," he said, his appointee will coordinate all cybersecurity polices for the federal government. He added that the coordinator will work closely with the Office of Management and Budget to set priorities and will head the U.S. response in case of a computer attack. The president's action was one of the recommendations from a two-month review of the government's cybersecurity efforts led by Melissa Hathaway. Another recommendation that will be implemented is a national campaign to promote awareness of cybersecurity. Obama promised that his administration will not monitor Internet traffic or "dictate security standards for private companies. On the contrary, we will collaborate with industry to find technology solutions that ensure our security and promote prosperity." Support for the president's effort came from Google, where policy council Harry Wingo wrote in a blog, "Government agencies are in a unique position to help companies identify attackers' targets and methods of operation, while companies can share expertise and best practices for guarding private networks and protecting the privacy of user data ." Obama promised, "From now on, our digital infrastructure -- the networks and computers we depend on every day -- will be treated as they should be: As a strategic national asset. Protecting this infrastructure will be a national security priority. We will ensure that these networks are secure, trustworthy and resilient. We will deter, prevent, detect and defend against attacks and recover quickly from any disruptions or damage.