Feds' Cyberwatchdog Lacks Bite, Study Says

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The federal government often acts too slowly to warn the nation of imminent cyberattacks and computer viruses, according to a government report issued Tuesday.

The National Infrastructure Protection Center is an arm of the Federal Bureau of Investigation set up three years ago to protect against cybercrimes. But the organization is still experiencing difficulty giving early notice of new viruses, according to the report by the General Accounting Office.

"While some warnings were issued in time to avert damage, most of the warnings, especially those related to viruses, pertained to attacks underway," the report says.

The center oversees a Watch and Warning Unit that monitors the Internet and other media around the clock, looking for indications or reports of computer-based attacks.

The center hopes to model its warning methods after those of the modern weather forecast but admits this could be slow going at first, says Ronald Dick, NIPC director.

"[A] specific prediction of how and when a virus or malicious code is unleashed in the information age, which to date have been typically released by lone-wolf hackers, is very difficult," Dick says in a letter to the GAO.

Cross-Agency Help Requested

Part of the difficulty stems from sporadic staffing and vacancies in top positions, he notes.

The center relies heavily on specialists from other agencies, especially the FBI, to help detail its analyses. But many of these other agencies are not versed in the complexities of the cyberworld, or are still so new to their jobs that it's difficult to measure their effectiveness, Dick says.

The report comes at a time when the government is placing increased emphasis on shielding itself and the nation from malicious cyberattacks. Since 1998, the center has issued 81 warnings of cyberattacks and viruses, all posted on the center's Web site.

But the organization is still grappling with problems in its warnings policy, namely when to consider a computer-based attack a national security event and when to treat it as a crime, according to the report.

Much of the success in shielding computer systems against cyberattacks depends on communication between government and the private sector, the report says. The center shares information securely with 518 private organizations. However, only one two-way relationship has been established--between the center and the electric power industry. The report recommends more development of the center's interactive information sharing.