House Intel Bill Mandates Insider Threat Detection

The House Intelligence Committee this week called on the Director of National Intelligence to establish an automated insider threat detection program to deter and detect unauthorized access to, or use of, classified intelligence networks.

“Incidents like the unauthorized disclosure of classified  information by Wikileaks… show us that despite the tremendous progress made since 9/11 in information sharing, we still need to have systems in place that can detect unauthorized activities by those who would do our country harm from the inside,” the Committee said in its May 3 report on the FY 2011 Intelligence Authorization Act.

Curiously, the Committee conveyed no great urgency concerning its proposal.  It said the DNI did not have to demonstrate an initial operating capability for insider threat detection until October 1, 2012.  Full operating capability would not be required until October 1, 2013.

In fact, however, executive branch officials are not waiting for congressional guidance to improve the security of classified networks.  There is already a focused effort to develop “a new administrative structure” for the management of classified electronic records, an Administration official told Secrecy News.  “I can’t say anything about it,” he said, implying that there was something significant to say.