New OMB Cybersecurity Task Force Goals: Enhancing Security and Fiscal Prudence
A new OMB-initiated interagency cybersecurity task force will be examining agency best practices for a range of federal IT functions. The task force is expected to develop its findings within six months so that the recommendations can be utilized by agencies in their FY ‘07 budget development process.

A senior OMB official was quoted as explaining that "We are on a fast timeline. We have to capitalize on the work each agency is doing by sharing best practices and taking advantage of volume buys and common tools." According to a report in Government Computer News, OMB is seeking "to ferret out functions that, if shared or standardized, will mean quick and easy improvements across the government."

More specifically, the expert group will "develop a business case for IT security functions that can be provided centrally by agencies or vendors." Furthermore, OMB will be apply the "line-of-business methodology it is using to create cross-government systems programs to support financial, grant and human resources services."

Although the task force's finding may well lead to a partial centralization of some federal cybersecurity functions, OMB remains sensitive to agency-specific security needs. However, there are sufficient needs common among agencies that the OMB official doubted that it made "good business sense for the 26 major agencies to go entirely their own way."

Although the task force is just beginning their work, there are at least three lessons that can be learned from the exercise:

1. Various federal agencies have already developed successful IT security practices that should be shared across the government;



2. Enhancing federal cybersecurity is consistent with fiscal discipline; and



3. OMB is taking the lead in coordinating and improving Executive Branch cybersecurity.