Information Assurance: A National Policy Struggling With Implementation
Abstract
The President's Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection was the first national effort to address the vulnerabilities created by the revolution in information technology. The Commission was established in July 1996 and rendered its report in October 1997. The results of the report were alarming. The nation's critical infrastructures had become increasingly automated, interlinked, and relied heavily on computer controlled systems. Moreover, the Commission found a wide spectrum of threats, increasing vulnerabilities in both private sector and government systems, and no national focus or policy. After reviewing the report, President Clinton issued Presidential Decision Directive 63 (PDD 63), which became the national policy for Critical Infrastructure Protection, and Information Assurance. This paper will examine the adequacy and effectiveness of PDD 63. It will focus on how clearly the policy states objectives and acceptable risks. It will address the policy's consistency with the National Security Strategy. Since more than 90 percent of the information systems that the government uses belong to the private sector, the paper will examine the private sector's role in the policy's implementation. Finally, with the current trend toward economic globalization, the issue of foreign policy cooperation must be addressed as well.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 10, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA390580
Entities
People
- Allen F. Woodhouse
Organizations
- United States Army War College