Cybersecurity budget request is smaller, but adequate, says DHS official

Despite President Obama's request for a slight decrease in cybersecurity spending for fiscal 2011, the budget is enough "to move the ball forward" and will emphasize preventing and responding to cyberattacks rather than tracking down where they originate, Greg Schaffer, assistant secretary for cybersecurity and communications at the Homeland Security Department said Tuesday.

The president's request for $866 million to protect computer networks and data for fiscal 2011 is nearly a 4 percent decrease from fiscal 2010. Of the total, $379 million will be allocated to DHS' National Cyber Security Division to limit vulnerabilities in the .com and .gov domains -- a slight increase from the $355 million Obama requested in fiscal 2010. Of that, $162 million would not be obligated to the division until the Senate and House appropriations committees approve a plan for the program's goals, milestones and planned expenses.