Homeland Security Plans Cybersecurity, Data Center Investments

By Elizabeth Montalbano
InformationWeek
February 2, 2010

The Department of Homeland Security is looking to invest nearly $900 million in fiscal 2011 on technology projects that include bolstering cyber security and continued work on a data center consolidation project that's already underway.

Other IT priorities listed as part of the department's proposed $56.3 billion budget, unveiled Monday, include improvements to an existing Internet-based verification program that lets employers check that someone is legally allowed to work in the United States and technology for airport security.

Overall, DHS said that protecting the United States against terrorism and other threats and promoting fiscal responsibility and efficiency within the department are its top priorities for fiscal 2011 funding.

DHS is asking for $379 million to go to its National Cyber Security Division (NCSD) to develop capabilities for preventing and responding to cyber attacks. The department plans to use the money to identify and reduce vulnerabilities within both its .gov and .com Internet domains, officials said on a conference call.

NCSD is a division within DHS that's meant to work collaboratively with public, private, and international organizations to secure cyberspace and the U.S. government's cyber infrastructure. At the same time that it's investing in cybersecurity, the Obama administration has made several key appointments to oversee such efforts, including cybersecurity coordinator Howard Schmidt.