News for and about the Internet2 community

[Greg Wood <>]

Contact:
Peter DeBlois
Director of Communication Services
EDUCAUSE

303-544-5665

Greg Wood
Director of Communications
Internet2

202-331-5360

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HIGHER EDUCATION HELPS SHAPE NATIONAL STRATEGY TO SECURE CYBERSPACE
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September 18, 2002 -- Higher education will play a major role in
advancing the cybersecurity of America. In remarks at Stanford
University today, where The White House released The National Strategy
to Secure Cyberspace, EDUCAUSE Vice President Mark Luker said, "The
advanced computer networks of higher education represent the emerging
systems of the future...and successful security solutions in this
sector can serve as models for the nation at large."

Announced by Richard Clarke, Special Advisor to the President for
Cyberspace Security, The National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace
contains over 70 specific recommendations for action by the public and
private sectors to improve cybersecurity. It highlights government and
private sector programs already underway to implement the strategy,
and it raises topics and issues for continued analysis and debate that
may be included in future releases of the Strategy.

The Higher Education Contribution to the National Strategy was
developed by the EDUCAUSE/Internet2 Computer and Network Security Task
Force. Submitted to the federal government's Critical Infrastructure
Protection Board in July, the contribution outlines the process that
the Task Force is pursuing to develop a consensus strategy and is
supported by organizations that compose the Higher Education
Information Technology (HEIT) Alliance. The complete Higher Education
Contribution can be found at
<http://www.educause.edu/asp/doclib/abstract.asp?ID=NET0027>.

"Just as the higher education community has worked together in the
development and use of information technology in research and
education, it must now work together to ensure that the same technology
continues to be secure and reliable," said Douglas Van Houweling,
president and CEO of Internet2.

Central to the Higher Education Contribution is a five-part Framework
for Action that outlines critical activities -- at the campus level as
well as at the national level -- needed to strengthen the security of
information systems and resources. The text of the Framework, which has
been formally ratified by the leadership of higher education through
the HEIT Alliance, can be found at
<http://www.educause.edu/asp/doclib/abstract.asp?ID=CSD1874>.

"This framework is extremely important because it demonstrates that
the issue of network security is a major concern of colleges and
universities around the country," said David Ward, president of the
American Council on Education. "Policy makers and corporate leaders
should know that the higher education community is working
constructively to address this challenge."

An important first step in acting on the Framework is a series of
cybersecurity workshops being coordinated this fall by EDUCAUSE and
funded by the National Science Foundation. The workshops bring together
technology experts and campus leaders to identify effective security
practices and policies, develop partnership strategies with the
research community, and plan for improving executive-level education
about the importance of cybersecurity in managing institutional risks.

According to Amelia Tynan, vice provost and CIO at the University of
Rochester, who attended one of the recent workshops, "It is clear that
we are engaged and eager to work collaboratively on the risks facing
us. The higher education community must actively participate in the
security agenda by sharing perceptions, ideas, and actionable
strategies."

EDUCAUSE and Internet2 will disseminate the results of these workshops
through extensive national and regional meetings, publications for IT
professionals and higher education executives, Web libraries, and
partnering with such organizations as the American Council on
Education, the National Association of College and University Business
Officers, and the National Association of College and University
Attorneys.

"Despite the wide variety of information systems and service solutions
in higher education, we have a common concern and need to have one
voice in a commitment to protecting our campuses and our society from
cyberattack," said Brian Hawkins, president of EDUCAUSE. "If ever we
needed to come together and fulfill our national motto of 'E Pluribus
Unum,' it is now, and it is by leveraging our collective expertise and
credibility."

The complete National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace is expected to be
available at <http://www.securecyberspace.gov/>. The EDUCAUSE Security
Web site at <http://www.educause.edu/security/> will have the most
current information and links.

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EDUCAUSE is a nonprofit association whose mission is to advance higher
education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology.
Visit the EDUCAUSE Web site at <http://www.educause.edu/>.

Internet2 is developing and deploying advanced network applications and
technologies for research and higher education, accelerating the
creation of tomorrow's Internet. Internet2 recreates the partnership of
academia, industry, and government that helped foster today's Internet
in its infancy. For more information about Internet2, see
<http://www.internet2.edu/>.

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