Gorelick's Urge

[jya@pipeline.com (John Young)]

   Wall Street Journal, July 17, 1996 
 
 
   Panel to Oversee Protecting Systems From Hackers 
 
 
   Washington -- President Clinton ordered the creation of a 
   commission to recommend laws and regulations to protect 
   vital government and private systems against attacks by 
   terrorists or computer hackers. 
 
   Jamie Gorelick, deputy U.S. attorney general, described the 
   effort as having the "same level of urgency" as the 
   Manhattan Project, the crash World War II effort to develop 
   the atomic bomb. She said the commission, which will be 
   headed by an appointee from the private sector, will have 
   a large representation from corporations, because they 
   control the nation's telecommunications system, 
   electrical-power grid, banking, transportation and 
   fuel-supply systems. 
 
   "We are looking for a structure that cuts across the 
   government and private sector," Ms. Gorelick told the 
   Senate's Permanent Investigations Subcommittee. While some 
   22 federal agencies have some involvement with such 
   problems, she said there is no central mechanism. 
 
   While the new Commission on Critical Infrastructure 
   Protection deliberates, President Clinton ordered the 
   Federal Bureau of Investigation to head an interim task 
   force. 
 
   [End]