White House Cyber Proposal Excludes Classified Systems

The White House as early as this week is expected to send Congress draft legislation for a far-reaching cybersecurity bill that stops short of addressing the sticky subject of classified systems, sources tell Nextgov. The consensus among experts consulted in the drafting of the legislation is that the proposal will demarcate civilian agencies' roles in protecting computer networks -- but not so-called national security networks that carry classified information.

There has been discord among lawmakers and agencies over whether the Defense Department, with its vast resources and expertise, should be responsible for defending the nation's networks or whether the Homeland Security Department, as the protector of critical infrastructure, should be charged with responding to cyberattacks.

One side says civilian departments, like DHS, are not equipped to fend off cyberterrorists intent on infiltrating military secrets. The breach that allegedly led to the airing of diplomatic and defense information on whistleblower website WikiLeaks underscored the challenge of sealing off sensitive weapons and foreign affairs data. But civil liberties proponents and some in industry say the Pentagon should not be monitoring private networks.

About a year ago, the administration began the interagency process of achieving unanimity on cybersecurity reforms.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and the chairmen of the multiple Senate committees with jurisdiction over computer security want to pass a comprehensive bill that would address everything from the security of government networks to online identity theft.

Last week, at a hearing on a draft measure to protect the nation's power supply from breaches, senators and federal officials agreed that Energy should have the authority to order utilities to take action when there is an emergency threat to the electricity grid. The draft legislation is one of many standalone proposals serving as a placeholder until the Senate and White House have reached accord. It calls for Defense to craft a plan for safeguarding power supplies at military facilities against imminent cyber threats in Alaska, Hawaii and Guam.

White House officials said there has been no announcement on timing for the release of a legislative framework.