Wall Street Journal, Troubles Plague Cyberspy Defense 0
WASHINGTON — The flagship system designed to protect the U.S. government’s computer networks from cyberspies is being stymied by technical limitations and privacy concerns, according to current and former national-security officials.
The latest complete version of the system, known as Einstein, won’t be fully installed for 18 months, according to current and former officials, seven years after it was first rolled out. This system doesn’t protect networks from attack. It only raises the alarm after one has happened.
A more capable version has sparked privacy alarms, which could delay its rollout. Since the National Security Agency acknowledged eavesdropping on phone and Internet traffic without warrants in 2005, security programs have been dogged by privacy concerns. In the case of Einstein, AT&T Corp., which would test the system, has sought written approval from the Justice Department before it would agree to participate, people familiar with the matter say.
No Genius
An AT&T spokesman declined to comment.
The total cost of the system, designed to protect all nonmilitary government computers, is classified, but officials familiar with the program said the price tag was expected to exceed $2 billion.
The Obama administration has made combating threats to the nation’s computer networks a top priority. President Barack Obama recently called such attacks “one of the most serious economic and national security challenges” facing the country. Attacks on the government have been intensifying, and thousands of federal networks have been breached, including that of the Homeland Security Department, security officials say.
Homeland Security officials say they are pressing ahead with deliberate speed. Because the program is the first of its kind, “we’re trying to get things as right as possible,” a senior Homeland Security official said. It takes time to get all the other government agencies on board, the official added, but their buy-in will lead to a more effective system in the long run.
The Obama administration is now re-examining plans for a third iteration of Einstein to review its privacy protections and effectiveness, said Paul Kurtz, a cybersecurity specialist who led a review of the topic for President Obama’s transition team.