Obama budget eyes boost to cybersecurity funds
A man browses web at an Internet cafe in Madrid May 23, 2008.
Credit: Reuters/Andrea Comas
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The budget proposed by President Barack Obama includes funding aimed at improving the security of U.S. private and public computer networks.
"The threat to federal information technology networks is real, serious and growing," said an outline of the budget proposal for fiscal 2010 that begins October 1 and released by the Obama administration on Thursday.
The document called for $355 million in funding for the Department of Homeland Security to make private and public sector cyber infrastructure more resilient and secure.
The money would help support the operations of the National Cyber Security Division, as well as initiatives under the Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative, according to the document.
In addition, the administration said it would put "substantial" funding for cybersecurity efforts into the national intelligence program, but gave no details since that funding is kept secret.
That money would be used for "an integrated and holistic approach to address current cybersecurity threats, anticipate future threats, and continue innovative public-private partnerships," it said.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal-Esa, Editing by Tim Dobbyn)
