DHS cybersecurity chief shares priorities

The Homeland Security Department's new secretary for cyber security and telecommunications told the Tech Policy Summit in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday that "government needs to lead by example" when it comes to network security.

But the secure information systems managed by federal agencies differ widely, cyber czar Greg Garcia said. "Some are good, some are not so good," he said.

Garcia's short-term objective is to pursue a "low-cost and high-impact" examination that "lays out a package of basic information-security practices" across all federal agencies.

Security solutions are as simple as naming chief information security officers, monitoring computer systems around the clock, and establishing acquisition rules for integrated security in technology purchases, Garcia said.

"I'm hoping that in the next six to 12 months, we can show agencies the way," he said.