Cybersecurity Still Not a Priority

Peter Harsha's post in the CRA blog analyzes the House-approved budget for the Department of Homeland Security, and finds it wanting in the area of cybersecurity.

"Despite a $213 million increase to the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate in FY 2006 and a report from a presidential advisory committee noting the dangerous lack of support for cyber security research at DHS, the House approved a cut to cyber security research activities at the agency as part of the FY 2006 Homeland Security appropriations bill. The House approved the President's request of $16.7 million for cyber security research in FY 2006, a decrease of $1.3 million from the FY 2005 enacted level... There will be a couple of opportunities to address the cut to cyber security research as the bill moves through the appropriations process. The Senate has yet to act on its version of the bill."

In the classic "pay (a little) now, or pay (a lot) later" trade-off, the US still seems to be opting for the latter.