Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Top execs would roll up sleeves to fight cyber war, according to think tank study

Tim Greene
Network World
December 16, 2008

Top executives of major corporations should expect to serve on new government cybersecurity panels if president-elect Barack Obama follows the recommendations released this week by a think-tank panel.

In particular, leaders from four key areas - energy, finance, the converging information technology/communications sectors and government – would serve on The President’s Committee for Secure Cyberspace.

Those chosen would be a very select group and could not send proxies to meetings. “[The committee] must be limited to C-level membership (not Washington representatives),” according to Securing Cyberspace for the 44th Presidency, a report by members of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Committee meetings would lay the groundwork of trust needed so this key group could function well together in actual emergencies, the study says, “for real information exchange and for collaboration in a time of need.”

The four industries were chosen for the committee because they “form the backbone of cyberspace. … Keep these sectors running and cyberspace will continue to deliver services in a crisis. Bring them down, and all other sectors will be damaged.”

Read article