Proposed budget amendment funds security projects

The Clinton administration this week proposed a $39 million amendment to the fiscal 2000 budget for initiatives at five agencies that will support the governmentwide push to secure information systems.

The funding will support efforts to comply with Presidential Decision Directive 63 at the Commerce Department, the National Science Foundation, the General Services Administration, the Office of Personnel Management and the Treasury Department. PDD 63 requires all federal agencies to develop and implement plans to protect the mission-critical information systems that support the nation's infrastructure.

Most of the money, almost $16.9 million, will fund programs to train, recruit and retain information security professionals. Another $8.4 million will support further development of an intrusion-detection support center to help civilian agencies analyze information gathered on unauthorized network users.Other earmarked projects include:

$7 million to support public-key infrastructure projects for securing digital transactions going across the Internet.

$4 million to establish an permanent expert review team to help agencies develop and implement their security plans.

$2 million to help set up centers within the private sector that will collect and analyze information on cyberattacks in the private sector, which then can be shared with federal agencies.