The White House issued a proposal on Thursday to secure critical U.S. infrastructure and federal computer networks that aims to fend off attackers while assuring the privacy of Internet users, according to Reuters. A legislative proposal from the Obama administration calls for the Department of Homeland Security to formally take over the job of ensuring the U.S. federal government's computers are protected, including oversight of intrusion detection and prevention systems. It would also require that security standards of many government contractors be updated. The proposal is aimed at attacks from U.S. sources and overseas, including many believed to originate in China. The White House proposal is expected to give new impetus to a long-running cybersecurity debate in the U.S. Congress. "The cybersecurity vulnerabilities in our government and critical infrastructure are a risk to national security, public safety, and economic prosperity," the White House said in a statement. "The administration has responded to Congress' call for input on the cybersecurity legislation that our nation needs, and we look forward to engaging with Congress as they move forward on this issue." Computer hackers are responsible for attacks on millions of computers, putting in jeopardy critical systems operated by the U.S. government, electrical utilities and financial companies.
