Timing is everything

Reacting to the delay in warnings about the "love bug," the CIO Council

is working on a system to warn agencies about cyberattacks.

Below is the time line of alerts during the initial hours of the "love

bug" on May 4, as determined by the General Accounting Office.

5:45 a.m. — Industry notifies the NIPC of the virus.

6:40 a.m. — The JTF-CND is first told of the virus. After an hour of

analysis, the JTF-CND begins notifying various DOD components.

7:45 a.m. — After two hours to analyze the virus and get confirmation

of its effect from the JTF-CND, NIPC notifies FedCIRC of the virus.

8 a.m. — FedCIRC begins notifying senior agency officials by phone and

fax.

11 a.m. — NIPC posts an official alert on its Web site about the ILOVEYOU

virus.