[Infowarrior] - Cybersecurity Review Sets Turf Battle

[Richard Forno]

     * MAY 1, 2009

Cybersecurity Review Sets Turf Battle

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124113159891774733.html

By SIOBHAN GORMAN

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama's cybersecurity review has  
ignited turf battles inside the White House, with economic adviser  
Lawrence Summers weighing in to prevent what he sees as a potential  
threat to economic growth, according to people familiar with the  
deliberations.

During the presidential campaign, Mr. Obama said he would appoint a  
cybersecurity adviser who would report directly to him on efforts to  
secure U.S. computer networks against spies, criminals and terrorists.

However, a White House review of cybersecurity policy has produced  
spirited debate on how high the adviser should rank and who should  
have veto power over his or her moves.

Mr. Summers is arguing that his National Economic Council should "co- 
lead" the issue with the National Security Council, which was  
originally envisioned as housing the cybersecurity office, people  
familiar with the debate said.

NSC officials, including Deputy National Security Adviser John  
Brennan, argue that cybersecurity is fundamentally a national-security  
issue. They say the cybersecurity post should be part of the NSC and  
have authority to make decisions after consulting with other White  
House branches.

James Lewis, a cybersecurity specialist who has met with the review  
team, said the debate points to the trade-off between security and  
innovation. Mr. Summers's council, joined by the White House Office of  
Science and Technology Policy, worries that overactive regulation  
could tie companies in red tape and hamper an economic recovery.

Melissa Hathaway, who is leading the White House review, has argued  
publicly for a strong White House role in cybersecurity, but has shied  
away from specifics. "The White House must lead the way forward with  
leadership that draws upon the strength, advice and ideas of the  
entire nation," she told a cybersecurity conference last week.

A recent draft of the White House review team's report said the cyber  
policy adviser would coordinate efforts with the National Economic  
Council and the science and technology office, said one industry  
expert working with the government on cybersecurity.

"Think of a car with three steering wheels," Mr. Lewis said.

Mr. Summers's staff is also seeking to edit the report's language  
about vulnerabilities of financial institutions to play down the  
threat to banks, arguing that undue alarm would threaten economic  
growth, said one person close to the drafting.

Officials in the science and technology office say it has the  
authority to protect communications infrastructure in an emergency and  
craft technology policy.

Officials at the NSC and the science and technology office declined to  
comment. A representative of Mr. Summers referred questions to the NSC.

"They're looking for a way to make sure economic concerns are met, but  
without diffusing authority the way it was" before, Mr. Lewis said.

Congress is moving ahead on cybersecurity. On Thursday, the chairmen  
of the House and Senate homeland security committees introduced  
legislation to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to set  
cybersecurity standards for power companies and to allow it to issue  
emergency orders if a cyber threat is imminent. The bill also mandates  
an investigation of federal electric infrastructure to see whether it  
has been compromised.

That measure followed two others introduced earlier this week on the  
electric grid and a proposed White House cybersecurity office.  
Cybersecurity experts say they expect some version of these or related  
bills to become law.

Write to Siobhan Gorman at siobhan.gorman at wsj.com