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Cybersecurity Hearing Cut Short By Anthrax Scare
David McGuire, Newsbytes 2001-10-17

Virginia governor James Gilmore urges creation of a federal 'Cyber Court.'

Virginia Gov. James Gilmore, R, today warned a congressional panel about the threat of a terrorist cyberattack, and urged the federal government to adopt an array of new defenses against possible electronic strikes. Gilmore outlined the panel's cybersecurity findings at a hearing that was cut short when an Anthrax scare forced a postponement.

Gilmore had time to deliver his testimony, but was not able to answer any questions from lawmakers.

"Whether the threat manifests itself in the form of a physical attack against computer hardware and real property that houses critical portions of the nation's Internet backbone, or in the form of a cyberattack against computer software and the Internet controls, America's cyberspace needs protection," Gilmore said in written testimony to the House Science Committee.

Gilmore is the chairman of a panel that was appointed by Congress in 1998 to assess the nation's ability to respond to terrorist attacks. The panel has made a series of reports to Congress and the President and is slated to submit another within a few days.

"In light of the experience of September 11, let me say that our recommendations remain valid. What has changed is the urgency with which they should be implemented," Gilmore said.

Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert, R- N.Y., intends to ask Gilmore return to complete his testimony at a later date, Science Committee spokeswoman Heidi Tringe said today.

In his testimony, Gilmore recommended that the government create an interagency entity to be responsible for coordinating federal cybersecurity efforts (something that President Bush did through an executive order on Tuesday) as well as an independent "advisory body" to evaluate cyberdefense programs and proposals.

Gilmore also recommended that the Y2K offices created by individual government agencies to address the once-feared millennium computer bug be kept online and morphed into agency-specific cybersecurity offices.

Finally, Gilmore recommended the creation of a cyber-court to address the threat posed by electronic attackers and the creation of a not-for-profit body that can represent the needs of public and private stakeholders in the security arena.

Gilmore's full written testimony is online at http://www.house.gov/science/full/oct17/gilmore.htm .

Reported by Newsbytes.com, http://www.newsbytes.com .

       

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