GAO releases strategic goals for next six years

The General Accounting Office is urging the US Administration and Congress to secure the nation's communications infrastructure. In a recently published strategic plan, GAO concludes that Congress and the Administration must protect Internet communications that support the nation's most critical infrastructures, such as banking, energy, health care, and transportation.

GAO initially raised the importance of "information systems supporting the Federal government's and the nation's critical infrastructures" - so-called Cyber-CIP - in its High Risk Series for 2003. The High Risk Series focuses each incoming Congress on the most serious issues facing the government. GAO deemed computer security in the Federal government as a high risk issue beginning in 1997.

GAO created the Cyber-CIP category for four reasons:
1. Failure to protect critical infrastructures and the computer and information systems that are essential for service delivery could adversely affect national security, national economic security, and/or national public health and safety;

2. Terrorist groups and others have stated their intention to attack US critical infrastructures;

3. Federal influence over the private sector's management of US critical infrastructures poses unique challenges; and

4. Further actions on GAO's CIP recommendations are needed, including (a) developing a national CIP strategy, (b) improving analysis and warning capabilities, and (c) improving information sharing on threats and vulnerabilities.

Industry, as well as government agencies, should expect more focused GAO review of capital investment and legislative strategies for Internet security. Through its audits and investigations, GAO will underscore coordination between the public and private sectors to protect cyber assets and efforts to detect and defend against cyber attacks.

For details on GAO's strategic goals for homeland security, refer to General Accounting Office, Strategic Plan (2004-2009) at pages 154-164.

Source: Zeichner Risk Assessment Newsletter. To subscribe to this weekly newsletter, click here.

•Date: 17th March 2004 •Region: N.America •Type: Article •Topic: Terrorism
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