The government’s new counter-cyber attack program may involve the data-mining of Internet browser search queries as part of an effort to find indications of an impending cyber-attack. HSToday.us first reported in Jan. 2006 that the search engine giant Google was cooperating with the CIA and NSA as part of an alleged program to determine whether Google’s search users’ queries could be harnessed for counterterror intelligence collection purposes.

Since then, Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell, has stated in an interview that the Intelligence Community (IC) must have access to Google [and presumably all other search engine’s] search histories, private emails, and file transfers in order to identify cyberterrorists – and terrorists.

As HSToday.us previously reported, the IC may already have been making use of these capabilities in its search for terrorists.

Speaking to hundreds of security professionals at the recent RSA security conference, Department of Homeland Security Secretary (DHS) Michael Chertoff talked about the federal government’s new cyber security "Manhattan Project,” an ambitious and expensive initiative to, in part, monitor the complex computer networks of all federal agencies - including ones not previously monitored. 

Privacy rights advocates fear the program will be expanded to monitoring civilian networks, but to some degree, under the plan the government already is. IC authorities say they are convinced that surveillance of the Internet is crucial to detecting a broad range of threats that could involve more than government systems. 

The project is rooted in National Security Presidential Directive 54/Homeland Security Presidential Directive 23, a classified order President Bush signed in early Jan. that expanded the Intelligence Community's role, especially that of the NSA, in monitoring Internet traffic.

The directive established a task force headed by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to coordinate efforts to identify the source of cyber-attacks against government computer systems.

Under the program, DHS has been tasked with protecting systems while the Pentagon has been given the mission of counterattacking against any intruder.

"Imagine, if you will, a sophisticated attack on our financial systems that caused them to be paralyzed," Chertoff said. "It would shake the foundation of trust on which our financial system works."

A “Fact Sheet” on the initiative to protect federal networks against cyber attacks was released by DHS.

HSToday.us has previously reported on the damage that could be wrought on global financial markets by attacking certain key international banking computer networks.

Congress appropriated $150 million for the “Cyber Manhattan” project this fiscal year, and the administration is seeking another $192 million for FY 2009.