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09-02-09 Obama orders review of cybersecurity

President Barack Obama on Monday ordered a 60-day review of the nation's cybersecurity to examine how federal agencies use technology to protect secrets and data.Obama said former Bush administration aide Melissa Hathaway will head the effort to examine all the government plans,programs and activities under way to manage massive amounts of data — everything from passport application to tax records,personal tax returns to national security documents.A failure or attack on that infrastructure could harm the country by,for example,shutting down the nation's airlines or crashing the stock market."The national security and economic health of the United States depend on the security,stability and integrity of our nation's cyberspace,both in the public and private sectors," said John Brennan,Obama's top adviser for counterterrorism and homeland security."The president is confident that we can protect our nation's critical cyber infrastructure while at the same time adhering to the rule of law and safeguarding privacy rights and civil liberties."