Defense Report Reopens Debate Over Federal Cyber Roles

A panel chartered by Congress to review long-term threats to the United States has reopened a hotly contested debate on how the government should counter cyber attacks by calling for the Defense Department to expand its authority by defending all federal and key commercial computer networks.

The recommendation, included in a report released July 30 by the Quadrennial Defense Review Independent Panel, encroaches on the Homeland Security Department, which has responsibility for overseeing cybersecurity at civilian agencies. The panel, chaired by former Clinton administration Defense Secretary William Perry, said, "[Defense] should be given clear authority to support DHS for cybersecurity of both the .gov and .com domains so that DHS does not have to replicate the capabilities now resident in U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency."