Chertoff promises cybersecurity Manhattan Project
Seven and a half years after 9/11, the Bush Administration is ready to take cybersecurty seriously. So says Michael Chertoff, head of the Department of Homeland Security. Speaking at the RSA Conference, Chertoff said the government's newfound interest in cybersecurity is massive – "almost like a Manhattan Project," Cox News reports.
"The time has come to take a quantum leap forward, to really engage in what I'd call a game-changer in how we deal with (cyber) attacks," Chertoff said.And there's more: DHS is developing an "early warning system" to identify cyber attacks before they start.
(Credit: Charles Cooper/CNET News.com)
OK, so how much is this Cyber-hattan Project going to cost? Oh, DHS is putting "real money" into the fight. $115 million this year and DHS is requesting an addition $109 million next year. Um, the U.S. spends $12 billion a month in Iraq. So how seriously does DHS want to take this fight? If DHS wants to protect the nation from cyber warfare, it might look in its own backyard. Consider these glorious headlines from the past:
- CIO DHS lacks authority to implement programs
- Feds get C- security grade but Defense fails, DHS gets a D
- Agencies get failing grades in cybersecurity, DHS worst of all
- DHS failing on cybersecurity front?
Well, you get the idea ....