News

April 19, 2002

The White House's top computer-security official on Thursday called on colleges and universities to help develop a national strategy for securing computer networks.

Richard A. Clarke, special adviser to the president for cyberspace security, said institutions should coordinate their research efforts and develop guidelines for protecting technology systems from outside attacks. He spoke here at the Networking 2002 conference, sponsored by Educause and a host of other organizations.

Mr. Clarke put the responsibility for securing the computer networks squarely on the people who use them. Businesses and educational institutions, he said, should assess their own vulnerability to computer-system attacks and share strategies for protecting networks.

The White House plans to issue a report in late July outlining strategies to secure computer networks. The report will be the first in a series of recommendations, which will be updated as new guidelines and technologies are developed. "It's not going to be one of these coffee-table books issued by Washington once a year," Mr. Clarke said during his speech.

Computer networks are vulnerable to attack by hackers and terrorists alike, he said. Developing adequate protections will take years. University research is crucial to developing ways to protect computer networks, he said, in part because businesses can't afford to spend money on long-term, high-risk research.

"Colleges and universities have always played a major role in defending our country and in keeping our economy healthy," Mr. Clarke said at the conference.

He said the White House would support the efforts of colleges and universities. But in an interview after his speech, he said the support would not include financial help. "We think it's something they need to do themselves," he said. "It doesn't take any money to do this."

Educational organizations have already begun coordinating their efforts in cybersecurity research. Organizations such as the American Association of State Colleges and Universities and the American Council on Education announced Thursday that they planned to participate in cybersecurity research and development. (See an article from The Chronicle, April 18.)

"I think this effort -- this framework -- is extremely important, because it demonstrates that the issue of network security is a major concern of colleges and universities around the country," said David Ward, president of the American Council on Education, in a statement. "Policy makers and corporate leaders should know that the higher-education community is working together constructively to address this challenge."

The full text of the announcement can be found on The Chronicle of Higher Education chronicle.com.