[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 249 (Friday, December 28, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76537-76538]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-31168]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Notice of Extension of Public Comment Period: Request for
Comments (RFC)--Federal Cybersecurity Research and Development
Strategic Plan
AGENCY: The National Coordination Office (NCO) for Networking
Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD), NSF.
ACTION: Notice of Extension of Public Comment Period: Request for
Comments (RFC).
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tomas Vagoun at vagoun@nitrd.gov or
(703) 292-4873.
DATES: To be considered, submissions must be received by January 11,
2013.
SUMMARY: National Coordination Office (NCO) for Networking Information
Technology Research and Development (NITRD) has extended the public
comment period for its Request for
[[Page 76538]]
Comments (RFC)--Federal Cybersecurity Research and Development
Strategic Plan [Federal Register Volume 77, Number 227, Doc No: 2012-
28481, November 26, 2012] to January 11, 2013. Comments are to be
submitted to cybersecurity@nitrd.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Request For Comments (RFC), originally
published in the Federal Register on November 26, 2012 [FR Volume 77,
Number 227, Doc No: 2012-28481] is issued by the Cyber Security and
Information Assurance Research and Development Senior Steering Group
(SSG) of the Federal Networking and Information Technology Research and
Development (NITRD) Program. The SSG is preparing a report to provide
an update on technological developments in Federal cybersecurity
research and development since the release of the 2011 Federal
Cybersecurity Research and Development Strategic Plan (the strategic
plan). Also, in light of the ever evolving technological landscape of
cybersecurity, and as input to its follow-on report, the SSG seeks
comments on the progress over the past year in the research areas
identified in the strategic plan, the strategic plan's impact in
orienting private sector cybersecurity research and development
activities, the successes and challenges in achieving the technological
objectives outlined in the plan, and on any nascent or emerging areas
in cybersecurity research and development that warrant further focus.
Additionally, the comments will be used by the SSG in its assessment of
future needs and directions in Federal cybersecurity research and
development.
Continued cybersecurity research and development is critical to
ensuring that we are on track as a Nation to develop innovative tools
and capabilities to address cybersecurity threats. In December 2011,
the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released
the ``Trustworthy Cyberspace: Strategic Plan for the Federal
Cybersecurity Research and Development Program,'' a framework for a set
of coordinated Federal strategic priorities and objectives for
cybersecurity research. (http://www.nitrd.gov/Publications/PublicationDetail.aspx?pubid=39)
The strategic plan was developed under the leadership of the Cyber
Security and Information Assurance Research and Development Senior
Steering Group (SSG) of the Federal Networking and Information
Technology Research and Development (NITRD) Program. It identifies key
cybersecurity research and development themes that are shaping and
facilitating a coordinated Federal research and development agenda to
engender game-changing technologies. With this overarching template,
the federal scientific community has been focusing on a common set of
problems. The strategic plan is being executed by all of the agencies
conducting and funding Federal cybersecurity research, including DARPA,
Department of Homeland Security, Department of Energy, IARPA, National
Institute of Standards and Technology, National Security Agency,
National Science Foundation, and the Department of Defense. Input from
industry, academia, and other stakeholders during the development of
the strategic plan contributed greatly to the formulation of Federal
research directions in cybersecurity. Guided by this plan, many
research activities, initiatives, and solicitations have already been
launched by Federal agencies in all areas defined by the plan.
In an effort to continue to evolve Federal strategic directions in
cybersecurity research, the SSG seeks comments to gain a better
understanding of the plan's impact. Furthermore, the SSG seeks input
regarding prospective areas in cybersecurity research and development
that might benefit from coordinated support by Federal agencies. To
assist with its report, the SSG is requesting that interested parties
submit written comments. We welcome comments from all interested
parties, including, but not limited to, academia, private industry, and
all levels of government. We seek comments on the following questions
in relation to the strategic plan:
(1) Research Themes of the Strategic Plan:
(a) Do the research themes need to be refined or enhanced? If so,
in what way?
(b) What are the research, development, implementation, transition-
to-practice, or other challenges that need to be overcome to achieve
the goals under each theme?
(c) Are there areas in cybersecurity research not addressed by the
strategic plan that should be? If yes, what are they, why are they
important, and what advances in such areas are needed to improve the
security, safety, and trustworthiness of cyberspace?
(2) Activities that Advance the Strategic Plan:
(d) What activities are you or your organization undertaking that
support the objectives of the strategic plan? Please include a brief
description of initiatives, use-cases, capabilities, technologies, and/
or achievements.
(e) How might your organization utilize the research outcomes?
(3) Sustainable Progress:
(f) What interactions, relationships, campaigns, or targeted
assistance would support a sustainable process to drive changes
envisioned by the research themes?
(g) What engagements among Federal agencies, government labs,
industry, and universities are particularly effective in enabling rapid
progress in the development of solutions?
To further enhance discussions related to cybersecurity research
and this RFC, the Government held a session on Federal cybersecurity
research and development during the National Science Foundation's
Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace Principal Investigators Meeting. The
session took place on November 27, 2012. The webcast of this session is
accessible at: http://www.tvworldwide.com/events/nsf/121127. Additional
information about the National Science Foundation's meeting is at:
http://cps-vo.org/group/satc.
Submission Instructions
Submission email: submit your comments to cybersecurity@nitrd.gov.
Submission deadline: to be considered, submissions must be received
by January 11, 2013.
To the extent applicable, when addressing a particular question
included in this request for comments, comments should reference the
relevant number associated with the question. Comments submitted will
be made available to the public online or by alternative means. For
this reason, do not include in your comments information of a
confidential nature, such as sensitive personal information or
proprietary information. In accordance with FAR 15.202(3), responses to
this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to
form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all
expenses associated with responding to this RFC.
Submitted by the National Science Foundation for the National
Coordination Office (NCO) for Networking and Information Technology
Research and Development (NITRD).
Dated: December 21, 2012.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2012-31168 Filed 12-27-12; 8:45 am]
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