White House, Homeland Security join forces on cybersecurity

A strong partnership between the Homeland Security Department and the White House is critical to the success of the Obama's administration's cybersecurity agenda, according to top cybersecurity officials.

Though President Obama gave the White House authority to coordinate federal cybersecurity initiatives in his May 2009 plan for safeguarding computer networks, Homeland Security drives the effort, Chris Painter, director of cybersecurity for the White House National Security Council, said during an interview last week.

"DHS is a key player in cybersecurity -- we need to support them in building capabilities," Painter said. "Other agencies play a big role as well and have their lanes in the road. But we need a strong DHS, and that's what we're working toward."

Phil Reitinger, deputy undersecretary for DHS' National Protection and Programs Directorate, agreed that support from the White House is crucial.

"There are roles for cybersecurity across agencies, and all have to execute effectively within their mission spaces, but the White House drives the president's agenda and coordinates policies among [agencies]," Reitinger said. "It's one team, one fight; we can't act in isolation."

A number of the 10 short-term priorities detailed in the president's cybersecurity strategy already are under way, Painter said. The administration is working with DHS and industry to develop and test a cybersecurity incident response plan, for example, and is preparing to announce the appointment of a privacy and civil liberties official to the NSC cybersecurity directorate. Another top goal is to strengthen international partnerships.

"We laid out the priorities and we're aggressively executing those," Painter said. "Having done this for as long as I have, this feels much different to me. This feels like an opportunity."

Painter and Reitinger emphasized the need for stronger cybersecurity policy for the public and private sectors, though neither predicted additional regulations.

"There's already a lot of cybersecurity regulations out there," Reitinger said. "The question is more, 'How do we most effectively meet national needs and what are the right policies to get that done?' We need to make sure we as a country are closing the gap from where we are now and where we need to be. I won't foreclose anything, but I also won't say, 'We need this regulation right now to get this done.' "