WASHINGTON - The head of the Pentagon's Cyber Command called Monday for Congress to act swiftly to sort out roles, standards and authorities for government agencies charged with defending against destructive computer attacks.
Army Gen. Keith Alexander, speaking at the American Enterprise Institute think tank, said the time for legislative action is now, before the nation is hit with a major cyberattack - an event he called increasingly likely.
"The conflict is growing, the probability for crisis is mounting," he said. "While we have the time, we should think about and enact those things that we need to ensure our security in this area. Do it now, before a crisis."
Numerous government agencies play a role in defending the nation's computer infrastructure, including the Defense Department, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI.
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Referring to the prospect of a destructive - not just disruptive - attack on vital U.S. computer systems, Alexander said, "I do think that's coming our way. You can see this statistically; the number of attacks is growing."
Among the key issues before Congress is the matter of encouraging companies and the federal government to share information collected on the Internet to help prevent electronic attacks from cybercriminals, foreign governments and terrorists. Lawmakers also are considering a bill aimed at improving coordination between the private and public sectors on research and development on cybersecurity.
Alexander also cautioned that while al-Qaida is not now capable of destructive computer attacks on the U.S., the terrorist group could acquire that aptitude.
