|
| Nancy Dean is an Assistant Information Technology Manager with the City of San Antonio, Department of Information Technology Services. |
|
Homeland Security and Homeland Defense have unfortunately
become new buzzwords in our vocabulary since 9-11-01. Typically these terms
call up thoughts of violent physical terrorism or bio-terrorism. However many
officials think that terrorism is just as likely to include an attack on the technology
networks supporting our critical infrastructure, i.e. cyber-terrorism. In San
Antonio, federal state and local government officials are partnering with
representatives from utilities and private industry to develop Dark Screen, an
exercise intended
-
to test the response capabilities of the City of San Antonio and the
surrounding region to a cyber-terrorist attack
-
to recommend/develop methods for all sectors (industry, law enforcement, government, and academia) to
cooperatively protect the critical infrastructures
-
to serve as a model for other cities in preparing for a cyber-terrorist attack or similar event
Dark Screen was first suggested by Representative Ciro Rodriguez in a letter to San Antonio community leaders in March 2002. Dr. Greg White, UTSA-Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security, is chairing the Dark Screen committee, which includes participants from the City, County, FBI, Air Force Air Intelligence Agency, Texas Army and Air National Guard units, CPS, private sector companies and other military organizations. Dark Screen has already received press coverage in the San Antonio Express-News and Federal Computer Week magazine. The project has even been parodied in at least three Nacho Guaracho cartoon strips.
Dark Screen consists of three phases:
-
Tabletop exercise for public and private officials to rehearse coordinated responses to simulated cyber-attacks
-
Applying the lessons learned in Phase 1
-
Live exercise to include attempts to penetrate networks
Phase 1 was completed on Friday September 13, 2002, when more than 200 participants gathered in the Alamodome to share their policies and procedures for responding to cyber-terrorism events that were proposed by the exercise planners. The exercise focused on the communications needed among the entities. An After-Action report was developed for each agency. Phase 2 is underway now as each participating entity works toward completing recommendations developed from Phase 1. Phase 3 is planned to occur sometime this year – possibly with minimal warning to the participants.
|
|
