Today the President and members of his Cabinet met with leaders of Internet and e-commerce companies, civil liberties organizations, and security experts to jointly announce actions strengthening Internet and computer network security.  This meeting follows last month's release by the President of the National Plan for Information Systems Protection, which establishes the first-ever national strategy for protecting the nation's computer networks from deliberate attacks.

During today?s meeting, industry executives announced their intention to join others to create an Internet industry mechanism to share information on cyber attacks, vulnerabilities and security practices to better respond to cyber-attacks and deliberate intrusions into computer networks.  Recently, other industries such as banking and finance, and major telecommunications carriers, have created industry partnerships for cyber-security.

The President also announced immediate steps the government will take to strength security for our nation's computer systems:

Accelerated Spending on Cyber Security - A $9 million budget supplemental for Fiscal Year 2000, jump-starting key initiatives for cyber-security contained in the President's FY2001 $2 billion budget request for cyber-security. The request will accelerate new programs to educate Americans for cyber-security careers, build a system for protecting Federal government computers, and create a new Institute for Information Infrastructure Protection.

Research and Technology Development for Information Infrastructure Development - President Clinton supports federal government research and technology development for information infrastructure protection that the private sector does not have sufficient market incentives to generate on its own.  The centerpiece of the federal government's efforts in this area will be the Institute for Information Infrastructure Protection (I3P), for which the President has requested $50 million in his Fiscal Year 2001 budget.  The President has also requested a supplemental appropriation of $4 million for Fiscal Year 2000 to jumpstart the Institute's preparations.  Science Advisor Neal Lane and NSC National Coordinator Dick Clarke will meet this Friday with members of the President's Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology and other computer security experts, research specialists, and industry leaders in an effort to help fill the gaps in the nation's research agenda for computer network security.

Partnership for Critical Infrastructure Security - Secretary Daley will participate in the first meeting of the Partnership for Critical Infrastructure Security next week to maximize cooperation between government and private sector initiatives for cyber-security.  Since the vast majority of the United States' critical infrastructures are owned and operated by private industry, the Partnership recognizes and acknowledges that the Federal government alone cannot protect these infrastructures or assure the delivery of services over them. The Partnership will explore ways in which industry and government can jointly address the risks to the nation's critical infrastructures.  It will provide a forum in which the various infrastructure sectors can meet to address issues relating to cross-sector interdependencies, explore common approaches and experiences, and engage other key professional and business communities that have an interest in infrastructure assurance.  By doing so, the Partnership hopes to raise awareness, promote understanding, and, when appropriate, serve as a catalyst for action.

Private sector membership in the Partnership is open to infrastructure owners and operators; providers of infrastructure hardware, software, and services; risk management and investment professionals; and other members of the business community who are stakeholders in the critical infrastructures.  Government representation will include state and local governments as well as Federal agencies and departments responsible for working with the critical infrastructure sectors and for providing functional support for the protection of those infrastructures.

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