5 Key Cybersecurity Areas for DHS to Tackle

GAO Advice Presented at Senate Hearing on Post 9/11 Security Eric Chabrow (GovInfoSecurity) • December 2, 2009

Five key cybersecurity challenges the Department of Homeland Security should tackle were outlined in testimony delivered Wednesday at a hearing on post-9/11 transportation challenges.

The only witnesses at a Senate Commerce Science and Transportation hearing on post-9/11 transportation challenges Wednesday was Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, but the managing director for homeland security and justice at the Government Accountability Office delivered a written statement for the record that outlined five key cybersecurity challenges the Department of Homeland Security should tackle.

According to the statement prepared by Cathleen Berrick, the five key cybersecurity areas include:

Bolstering cyber analysis and warning capabilities;

Completing actions identified during cyber exercises;

Improving cybersecurity of infrastructure control systems;

Strengthening DHS's ability to help recover from Internet disruptions; and

Addressing cybercrime

Berrick said DHS has made progress in strengthening cybersecurity, such as addressing some lessons learned from a cyber attack exercise, but further actions are warranted. "DHS has since developed and implemented certain capabilities to satisfy aspects of its responsibilities," she said, "but it has not fully implemented GAO's recommendations and, thus, more action is needed to address the risk to critical cybersecurity infrastructure."