[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 54 (Tuesday, March 21, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14980-14982]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-6882]



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OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET


National Information Infrastructure; Public Meeting

agency: Office of Management and Budget.

action: National Information Infrastructure Security issues forum; 
notice of public meeting and request for public comments.

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summary: The National Information Infrastructure Security Issues Forum 
[[Page 14981]] will conduct a public meeting to continue a dialogue 
between government and the private and public interest sectors on 
issues related to the security of information on the National 
Information Infrastructure (NII). Interested parties--especially users 
and providers of services based on the public switched network as well 
as cable, wireless, satellite, and Internet communications--are invited 
to submit a 1-2 page position statement and request to testify on the 
subject of the availability and the reliability of the NII.
    The meetings are sponsored by the NII Security Issues Forum of the 
Information Infrastructure Task Force and Mega-Project III of the U.S. 
Advisory Council on the NII.

dates: The public meeting, ``The NII: Will It Be There When You Need 
It? Will It Be Safe To Use?'' will be held on Tuesday, March 28, 1995, 
from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Room 4830 at the Department of Commerce 
in Washington, DC.
    Those wishing to testify should submit a 1-2 page position 
statement and request to participate by March 20, 1995. Individuals 
wishing to offer general comments or present questions may request to 
do so during the meeting. Written comments may be submitted on paper or 
electronically, in ASCII format, and will be accepted until April 21, 
1995.

addresses: The public meeting will be held in Room 4830 at the 
Department of Commerce at 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW., in 
Washington, DC.
    Postion statements and requests to appear for the meeting, ``The 
NII: Will It Be There When You Need It? Will It Be Safe To Use?'' 
should be sent to the National Communications Systems, 701 South Court 
House Road, Arlington, VA 22204, marked to the attention of Mr. Mark 
Centra. Position statements may also be submitted via fax to (703) 746-
4960 or through electronic mail to [email protected]. Electronic 
mail should be submitted as unencoded, unformatted, ASCII text.
    Parties offering testimony are asked to provide them on paper, and 
where possible, in machine-readable format. Machine-readable 
submissions may be provided through electronic mail messages sent over 
the Internet, or on a 3.5'' floppy disk formatted for use in an MS-DOD 
based computer. Machine-readable submissions should be provided as 
unencoded, unformatted ASCII text.
    Written comments should include the following information:
     Name and organizational affiliation, if any, of the 
individual responding;
     An indication of whether comments offered represents views 
of the respondent's organization or are the respondent's personal 
views; and
     If applicable, information on the respondent's 
organization, including the type of organization (e.g., trade 
association, private corporation, non-profit organization) and general 
areas of interest.

for further information contact: For further information relating to 
the availability and reliability of the NII, contact Mr. Mark Centra of 
the National Communications System at (703) 607-6183.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Issues for Public Comment

A. Background

    The NII is a system of high-speed telecommunications networks, 
databases, and advanced computer systems that will make electronic 
information more widely available and accessible than ever before. The 
NII includes not only the Internet, but also the public switched 
network, and cable, wireless, and satellite communications. As the 
network becomes more interconnected, citizens and organizations will 
engage in multimedia communications, as well as sell goods and services 
electronically, share data resources, and receive Federal benefits. 
This increased availability and accessibility of services and products 
provided through information technology will dramatically affect the 
way in which individuals conduct their everyday affairs.
    Consequently, broad public and commercial use of the NII hinges 
upon implementing technologies, policies, and practices that not only 
ensure that users of information systems have access to information 
when and where they need it, but that subjects of information records 
are able to protect themselves from unauthorized or inappropriate 
access to or use of information.
    ``Americans will not use the NII to its full potential unless they 
trust that information will go where and when they want it and nowhere 
else,'' declared Sally Katzen, Administrator of the Office of 
Information Regulatory Affairs at OMB and chair of the Forum. ``The 
Federal government is a primary user of the NII and thus a catalyst for 
change. Yet the NII will be designed, built, owned, operated, and used 
primarily by the private sector, making it essential that security on 
the NII be considered in partnership with the public.''
    To address these critical issues, the Vice president formed the 
Information Infrastructure Task Force (IITF). The IITF is chaired by 
Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown and is comprised of senior 
Administration officials having expertise in technical, legal, and 
policy areas pertinent to the NII. The Mission of the IITF is to 
articulate and implement the Administration's vision for the NII. The 
NII Security Issues Forum was established within the IITF to address 
the cross-cutting issue of security in the NII.
    In addition to the IITF, the President has established the U.S. 
Advisory Council on the National Information Infrastructure. The 
Advisory Council represents industry, labor, and public interest 
groups, and advises the Secretary of Commerce on issues relating to the 
NII. Mega-Project III, one of three work groups of the Advisory 
Council, is responsible for addressing security, intellectual property, 
and privacy issues as they relate to the NII.
    The public meetings are part of an ongoing dialogue with the 
Administration to assess the security needs and concerns of users of 
the National Information Infrastructure (NII). The testimony of the 
meeting participants will form the basis of a report being developed by 
the NII Security Issues Forum, ``The NII Security Plant.'' The Security 
Plan will: Outline findings of security needs; present an analysis of 
technical, legal and architectural issues relating to security; discuss 
the Federal and private sector roles in meeting these need; and propose 
milestones towards the achievement of Federal roles.

B. Structure and Content of Public Meeting

    Security--or the confidentiality, integrity, availability, and 
reliability of information and services provided on the NII--is linked 
inextricably to its broad public use. The Forum and Mega-Project III 
seek input from parties representing individual and corporate users of 
communications networks as well as providers of communications 
services.
    Security will determine whether, how, and to what extent the NII 
will be used in such critical applications as enabling electronic 
commerce, providing public information, training and educating 
students, supporting the efficient delivery of government services, and 
utilizing intelligent transportation systems.
    NII security will be supported by technology, as well as by a sound 
legal and policy framework. The Forum and Mega-Project III seek input 
in this area [[Page 14982]] as well. Specifically, what technologies, 
legal remedies, and policy frameworks, or combinations thereof, can be 
used to effectively protect the security of the Internet, the public 
switched network, and other communications systems?
    A panel of witnesses drawn from the public will be assembled to 
discuss the following topics with a panel of senior Administration 
officials, members of the Security Issues forum, and members of the 
U.S. Advisory Council on the NII, and to field questions and comments 
from other members of the public.
    The public meeting will consist of two panels. The first panel, 
entitled ``Experiences and Expectations,'' representing users of the 
NII, should address questions in three principal areas:
    1. As systems evolve from a closed to a more open status, what are 
your expectations and needs regarding the availability and reliability 
of services and information on the NII? Examples of risks include loss 
of proprietary or personal information or network disruptions or 
outages.
    2. How does your organization plan to ensure that information and 
underlying systems are available to legitimate users? Consider 
technical, managerial, and legal strategies.
    3. How should government support the reliability and availability 
of the NII? What government policies or guidance would bolster your 
confidence in the NII?
    The second panel, entitled, ``current State of Affairs and Future 
Challenges,'' represented industry providers of communications 
services, whether cable, wireless, satellite, Internet, or public 
switched network communications, should address questions in three 
principal areas:
    1. What are the security risks faced by industry providers of 
communications services today? As networks evolve from a closed status 
to a more open one, how will the interoperability of systems and the 
expansion of universal access affect availability and reliability? How 
do you plan to address potential threats such as network disruptions 
and outages or degradation of service as new services are implemented? 
Consider technical, managerial, and legal strategies.
    2. Do you feel that end-users are aware of the level of 
availability and reliability associated with various components of the 
NII? What steps have you taken to educate or meet the expectations of 
the user in the areas of availability and reliability of the NII, 
particularly within the Internet?
    3. How should government support availability and reliability in 
the NII? Some examples might include legislation, public education, or 
regulation.

II. Guidelines for Participation in the Public Hearing

    Individuals who would like to participate on a panel must request 
an opportunity to do so no later than March 20, 1995, by submitting a 
brief, 1-2 page summary position statement. If approved, each 
participant will be allowed to present brief opening remarks. Primary 
participation, however, shall be during the general discussion to 
follow, according to the format described above.
    Participants in the public meeting will testify before and 
participate in discussions with a panel consisting of members of the 
Advisory Council, members of the Security Issues Forum, and other 
Administration officials.
    Individuals not selected as panel participants may offer comments 
or ask questions of the witnesses by requesting an opportunity to do so 
and being recognized during the meeting by the chairs of the meetings. 
Oral remarks offered in this fashion should not exceed three minutes. 
No advance approval is required to attend the public meetings, offer 
comments, or present questions.
    The public meeting will be chaired by Ms. Sally Katzen, Chair of 
the NII Security Issues Forum. The meeting will be co-chaired by Mr. 
Bob Marquette, Deputy Manager, National Communications Systems; Mr. Tom 
Sugrue, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information, 
National Telecommunications and Information Administration; and Mr. 
Robert Pepper, Chief, Office of Plans & Policy, Federal Communications 
Commission.
    More information about the Clinton Administration's National 
Information Infrastructure initiative can be obtained from the IITF 
Secretariat. Inquiries may be directed to Yvette Barrett at (202) 482-
1835, by e-mail to [email protected], or by mail to U.S. Department 
of Commerce, IITF Secretariat, NTIA, Room 4892, Washington, DC 20230.
    For inquiries over the Internet to the IITF Gopher Server, gopher, 
telnet (login = gopher), or anonymous ftp to iitf.doc.gov. Access is 
also available over the World-Wide-Web. Questions may be addressed to 
[email protected].
    For access by modem, dial (202) 501-1920 and set modem 
communications parameters at no parity, 8 data bits, and one stop 
(N,8,1). Modem speeds of up to 14,400 baud are supported.
Sally Katzen,
Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 95-6882 Filed 3-20-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3110-01-M