Critical Infrastructure Protection : Federal Efforts Require a More Coordinated and Comprehensive Approach for Protecting Information Systems

Why GAO Did This Study

The explosion in computer interconnectivity, while providing great benefits, also poses enormous risks. Terrorists or hostile foreign states could launch computer-based attacks on critical systems to severely damage or disrupt national defense or other critical operations.

Presidential Decision Directive 63 and Executive Order 13231, issued in 1998 and 2001, respectively, call for various actions to improve federal security programs, including establishing partnerships between the government and the private sector. GAO was asked to identify the federal organizations that have national roles for protecting critical infrastructures from computer-based attacks and to determine their relationships.

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