Top Bush Cyber Security Chief Resigns

Top Bush Cyber Security Chief Resigns
1 hour, 26 minutes ago

By TED BRIDIS, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Richard A. Clarke, the top cyber-security
adviser to President Bush (news - web sites), is
confirming plans to resign from the White House, and
he raised an ominous warning to colleagues about the
destructive effects of future attacks on the Internet.

Clarke, in an e-mail sent overnight Thursday to
colleagues, cited damage from the weekend's infection
that struck hundreds of thousands of computers
worldwide, slowing e-mail and Web surfing and even
shutting down some banking systems. He called the
attacking software "a dumb worm that was easily and
cheaply made."

"More sophisticated attacks against known
vulnerabilities in cyberspace could be devastating,"
Clarke wrote. "As long as we have vulnerabilities in
cyberspace and as long as America has enemies, we are
at risk of the two coming together to severely damage
our great country."

A spokeswoman confirmed Clarke's e-mail as authentic.
It was forwarded by the FBI (news - web sites)'s
National Infrastructure Protection Center to operators
of Internet early-warning centers.

The Associated Press, citing people familiar with
Clarke's plans, reported his decision to resign on
Jan. 24. Clarke has spent 11 years in the White House
across three administrations, and he was the
president's counterterrorism coordinator at the time
of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

Clarke has focused most recently on preventing
disruptions to important computer networks from
Internet attacks, compiling recommendations to improve
security into a "National Strategy to Secure
Cyberspace."

In a separate e-mailed document, sent to others,
Clarke disclosed that Bush has formally signed the
strategy for approval and that it would be released
publicly "sometime in the next few weeks."

In his e-mail, Clarke urged companies and government
agencies to adopt these recommendations.

He said it was "essential to the health of the
nation's economy and the security of the country."

Clarke indicated he would seek a job in the private
sector, after spending three decades inside the
government. He worked at the Departments of Defense
and State, then was hired at the White House.

"I hope now to learn how to contribute to these issues
as a private citizen," Clarke wrote.



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