Fed and ISP teams up to offer cyber security

The Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security are teaming up with Internet Service Providers to offer more cyber security to defense contractors. An experimental program called the Defense Intelligence Base Cyber Pilot is under progress where the Defense department is sharing confidential data on the cyber threats with the defense contractors and their service providers. The Deputy Secretary of Defense, William Lynn was talking about this program at a speech in Paris.Adaptations of the program

The pilot program commenced last week and enables the defense contractors to utilize such threatening information in a way that enhances their network securities. According to Lynn, sharing this confidential cyber threat information with the defense contractors will assist these contractors strengthen their cyber security.

NSA acting as the technical advisor

During this pilot program of the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, the National Security Agency is acting as the technical advisor of the program. In addition, the NSA is responsible for providing the cyber security information to the two departments. The NSA representatives refused to provide the list of the defense contractors enrolled in this program. Out of the companies rumored to be involved in this pilot program, include AT&T, Verizon, Century Link, Lockheed Martin, CSC, SAIC, and the Northrop Group.

Another thrust to public-private partnerships

This program is another effort of the current administration to forge higher number of public-private partnerships for the security of the country’s networks and infrastructure. The federal government provides several efforts in the early stages to share confidential data regarding the cyber threats amongst the public and private sectors to increase the security in the cyber world. Under one such experimental program launched in 2010, the Department of Homeland Security shares threat intelligence with private CIOs and cyber security officers to protect their networks.

Federal government struggling to achieve the correct balance

Despite all the efforts by the federal government, the agency is still struggling to achieve the correct balance to provide the information to the private agencies in a method that is satisfying to all the involved parties. According to William Lynn, the new pilot program will assist to becoming a pioneer in several aspects that will assist in overcoming the barriers between the public and the private sectors to increase the security over the cyber world. However, both the departments are aware that a lot of efforts and work is required to achieve the complete security of the networks.