President Bush has approved the White House's long-awaited national cybersecurity strategy, a landmark document intended to guide government and industry efforts to protect the nation's most critical information systems from cyberattack.
In an e-mail sent Thursday to White House officials, cybersecurity adviser Richard Clarke said that the National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace has received Bush's signature and will be released to the public in the next few weeks. The strategy has been in development since shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Bush signed the cybersecurity strategy nearly a week after the "Sapphire" Internet worm slowed Web traffic and disrupted bank cash machine services, airline flights and other critical parts of the Internet infrastructure.
The strategy is expected to recommend steps industry and government can take to improve the nation's computer security posture. The majority of the document likely will direct the government to lead by example and tighten the security of federal information systems.
Clarke on Thursday also confirmed media reports that he will resign after 30 years of public service. His deputy, Howard Schmidt, has assumed his duties, Clarke said.
The nation's first cybersecurity "czar" used his e-mail to colleagues to warn once again that communications systems are vulnerable to attacks from many fronts.
"With slight modifications, the results of the worm would have been more significant. More sophisticated attacks against known vulnerabilities in cyberspace could be devastating," Clarke wrote. "As long as we have vulnerabilities in cyberspace and as long as America has enemies, we are at risk of the two coming together to severely damage our great country."
--By Brian Krebs, source: Washington Post
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