I3P Research Director Testifies Before Congress

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Dr. Shari Lawrence Pfleeger testified before the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee on February 11, 2011. (image courtesy of the I3P)

Shari Lawrence Pfleeger, PhD, director of research for the Institute for Information Infrastructure Protection (I3P), testified before the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities of the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee on February 11, 2011. The I3P, founded at Dartmouth in 2002, is a national consortium of 27 leading academic institutions, federally funded laboratories, and non-profit research organizations dedicated to strengthening digital infrastructure.

The focus of the hearing was the policy, legal, economic, and technical challenges that the Department of Defense faces in cyber operations and what the Department’s role should be in protecting government networks and private systems deemed critical to national security.

Dr. Pfleeger’s testimony identified both private sector and government challenges, including the diverse and distributed ownership of the nation’s critical cyber infrastructure and misaligned government incentives. She recommended that the federal government use its position as a major purchaser of technology to insist on good systems engineering; create economic incentives to encourage individual organizations to improve cyber security practices, and encourage research in key multi-disciplinary areas not currently given priority.

“Shari’s invitation to provide testimony speaks to the I3P’s reputation as a respected source for information on cyber security issues affecting the nation,” said Dartmouth Vice Provost Martin Wybourne.  “We are pleased that she was able to provide the House of Representatives with testimony.”

Dr. Pfleeger’s testimony can be viewed on the subcommittee hearing page or downloaded from her hearing profile page.

Nancy Fontaine