Details of American super-secret cyber warfare defences known as 'Einstein'

Yes, details so super-secret that the White House has decided to declassify and disclose them!

The WSJ is reporting on the White House's new Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative (CNCI), a program intended to shore up the U.S. Internet defenses. The main reason for declassification seems to be due to privacy concerns -- and as always with improved security, you're going to lose a little privacy. In this case, it's communication snooping (but that's nothing new)

The Initiative, codenamed Einstein, details a lot of changes and improvements, with stringent and omnipresent wire taps being just part of the program; scanning your emails is just one of the many new incoming changes. First up is the creation of a secure federal network with Trusted Internet Connections, and then they want to install intrusion detection sensors to make sure they catch breaches early.

Beyond the creation of a secure network, there will be better interoperation between government, public, and private sectors -- a lot of critical infrastructure isn't directly managed by the government, and they obviously think some things can be tidied up. It seems like the current American counter-intelligence system is split -- as part of the CNCI, they're going to try and bring all of the departments and agencies together.

Expanding cyber education efforts is also on the list. Education in new endeavors and fields of knowledge is, in my opinion, one of the most vital things a modern government must invest in.

Hopefully this isn't all too little too late. It's actually a little sad to be told, in plain English, just how loose and dilapidated the current American defences are.

Tags: America, cnci, cyber, cybersecurity, executive office, ExecutiveOffice, privacy, security, USA, white house, WhiteHouse