DHS Opens Cybersecurity Center in Virginia

Facility Unites U.S.-CERT, National Telecom Coordinating Center October 30, 2009 The Department of Homeland Security Friday cut the ribbon on its new National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center, a round-the-clock watch and warning center that DHS says will improve national efforts to address threats and incidents affecting the nation's critical information technology infrastructure.

The new unified operations center combines two of DHS's operational organizations: the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team, commonly known as U.S.-CERT, which leads a public-private partnership to safeguard the nation's cyber infrastructure; and the National Coordinating Center for Telecommunications, the operational arm of the National Communications System.

At ceremonies at the center's Arlington, Va., site, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said consolidating cyber and communications centers will enhance the government's ability to effectively mitigate risks and respond to threats. "Securing America's cyber infrastructure requires a coordinated and flexible system to detect threats and communicate protective measures to our federal, state, local and private sector partners and the public," Napolitano said.

According to a DHS statement, the center:

Will integrate the efforts of the National Cybersecurity Center, which coordinates operations among the six largest federal cyber centers; the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis and private-sector partners.
Was created at the recommendation of the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee, the Government Accountability Office and a joint industry-government working group, which together emphasized the need for collocation, integration and interoperability among existing cyber and communications incident response operations.