[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 206 (Monday, October 26, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65235-65236]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-27101]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

[Docket No. DHS-2015-0056]


President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory 
Committee

AGENCY: National Protection and Programs Directorate, DHS.

ACTION: Committee Management; Notice of Partially Closed Federal 
Advisory Committee Meeting.

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SUMMARY: The President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory 
Committee (NSTAC) will meet on Tuesday, November 10, 2015, in 
Washington, DC. The meeting will be partially closed to the public.

DATES: The NSTAC will meet in a closed session on Tuesday, November 10, 
2015, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. and in an open session on Tuesday, 
November 10, 2015, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:20 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The open, public session will be held at the Department of 
Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, 500 
12th Street SW., Washington, DC, and will begin at 11:00 a.m. For 
information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities, to request special assistance at the meeting, or to 
attend in person contact [email protected] as soon as possible and no later 
than Tuesday, November 3, 2015.
    We are inviting public comment on the issues the NSTAC will 
consider, as listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below. 
Associated briefing materials that will be discussed at the meeting 
will be available at www.dhs.gov/nstac for review as of October 27, 
2015. Comments must be identified by docket number DHS-2015-0056 and 
may be submitted by one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Email: [email protected]. Include the docket number in the 
subject line of the message.
     Fax: 703-235-5962, Attn: Helen Jackson.
     Mail: Designated Federal Officer, National Security 
Telecommunications Advisory Committee, National Protection and Programs 
Directorate, Department of Homeland Security, 245 Murray Lane, Mail 
Stop 0604, Arlington, VA 20598-0604.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the words 
``Department of Homeland Security'' and the docket number for this 
action. Comments

[[Page 65236]]

received will be posted without alteration at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received by the NSTAC, go to http://www.regulations.gov, 
referencing docket number DHS-DHS-2015-0056.
    A public comment period will be held during the open portion of the 
meeting on Tuesday, November 10, 2015, from 1:55 p.m. to 2:10 p.m. and 
speakers are requested to limit their comments to three minutes. Please 
note that the public comment period may end before the time indicated, 
following the last call for comments. Please contact 
[email protected] to register as a speaker by close of business on 
November 8, 2015. Speakers will be accommodated in order of 
registration within the constraints of the time allotted to public 
comment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Helen Jackson, NSTAC Designated 
Federal Officer, Department of Homeland Security, telephone (703) 235-
5321 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of this meeting is given under the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. Appendix (Pub. L. 92-463). The 
NSTAC advises the President on matters related to national security and 
emergency preparedness (NS/EP) telecommunications policy.
    Agenda: The committee will meet in the open session to receive an 
update on current engagement activities between the NSTAC and the NS/EP 
Communications Executive Committee. The NSTAC will also hold a panel 
discussion on high performance computing and big data convergence, 
focusing on public private and cross agency collaboration and the 
predictive analytics capabilities of big data. The NSTAC will receive 
brief remarks on the U.S. Department of Commerce's (DOC) progress in 
promoting Government's cybersecurity efforts since the adoption of the 
National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework, 
the process and approach under which the DOC continues to seek partners 
for its cybersecurity initiatives, and how private sector participation 
helps to promote the DOC's cybersecurity efforts. In addition, the 
NSTAC will receive an update on the work of the NSTAC's examination of 
big data analytics. The meeting agenda will be available at 
www.dhs.gov/nstac as of October 27, 2015.
    The NSTAC will meet in a closed session to hear a classified 
briefing regarding current cyber threats against the communications 
infrastructure, and to discuss potential future NSTAC study topics.
    Basis for Closure: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552b(c), The 
Government in the Sunshine Act, it has been determined that two agenda 
items require closure as the disclosure of the information would not be 
in the public interest.
    The first of these agenda items, the classified briefing, will 
provide members with information on current threats against the 
communications infrastructure. Disclosure of these threats would 
provide criminals who wish to intrude into commercial and Government 
networks with information on potential vulnerabilities and mitigation 
techniques, also weakening existing cybersecurity defense tactics. This 
briefing will be classified at the top secret level, thereby exempting 
disclosure of the content by statute. Therefore, this portion of the 
meeting is required to be closed pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(1)(A).
    The second agenda item, the discussion of potential NSTAC study 
topics, will address areas of critical cybersecurity vulnerabilities 
and priorities for Government. Government officials will share data 
with NSTAC members on initiatives, assessments, and future security 
requirements across public and private networks. The data to be shared 
includes specific vulnerabilities within cyberspace that affect the 
Nation's communications and information technology infrastructures and 
proposed mitigation strategies. Disclosure of this information to the 
public would provide criminals with an incentive to focus on these 
vulnerabilities to increase attacks on our cyber and communications 
networks. Therefore, this portion of the meeting is likely to 
significantly frustrate implementation of proposed DHS actions and is 
required to be closed pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(9)(B).

    Dated: October 20, 2015.
Helen Jackson,
Designated Federal Officer for the NSTAC.
[FR Doc. 2015-27101 Filed 10-23-15; 8:45 am]
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