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Banking and Finance Sector-Specific Plan - U.S. Department of ...

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7. CI/KR Protection R&D<br />

7.1 Overview <strong>of</strong> <strong>Sector</strong> R&D<br />

At the request <strong>of</strong> the Treasury, the FSSCC joined DHS in a May 2005 workshop focused on R&D priorities. As DHS was finalizing<br />

the NIPP R&D plans <strong>and</strong> programs, the FSSCC formed an R&D Committee to further develop plans <strong>and</strong> programs that<br />

would provide the most significant benefits with respect to the specific CI/KR requirements <strong>of</strong> the financial services sector.<br />

In June 2006, this committee issued a list <strong>of</strong> research challenges that provide information security pr<strong>of</strong>essionals with tools for<br />

addressing known vulnerabilities in the sector. 30<br />

7.2 <strong>Sector</strong> R&D Requirements<br />

Extensive networks <strong>of</strong> information technology systems support the <strong>Banking</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Finance</strong> <strong>Sector</strong>. These systems are composed<br />

<strong>of</strong> networks, servers, mainframes, operating systems, <strong>and</strong> s<strong>of</strong>tware applications. The sector uses some <strong>of</strong> the most advanced<br />

technologies available to process billions <strong>of</strong> transactions each day, such as trade orders, clearing <strong>and</strong> settlements transactions,<br />

custody, account balances, <strong>and</strong> retail payments. Information systems may be rendered unavailable by either cyber or physical<br />

attacks. Compromises to the financial services sector’s information technology systems may affect sector operations <strong>and</strong> public<br />

trust <strong>and</strong> confidence in the U.S. economy.<br />

In addition to information technology systems, the <strong>Banking</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Finance</strong> <strong>Sector</strong> is heavily dependent on telecommunications.<br />

Given a wide-scale disruption <strong>of</strong> the telecommunications infrastructure, the <strong>Banking</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Finance</strong> <strong>Sector</strong> likely would be unable<br />

to maintain critical voice <strong>and</strong> data communications at the level necessary to assure continuity <strong>of</strong> critical operations. Because <strong>of</strong><br />

the interdependencies <strong>of</strong> financial services sector participants, a localized disruption that impacts a systemically critical organization<br />

also may result in cascading disruptions <strong>of</strong> trading, settlement, <strong>and</strong> payment activities across the country <strong>and</strong> in foreign<br />

markets.<br />

The FSSCC R&D Committee identified eight areas that may present significant issues to the ability <strong>of</strong> the financial sector to meet<br />

its challenges in the coming years. The areas are:<br />

• Secure Financial Transaction Protocol (SFTP);<br />

• Resilient Financial Transaction System (RFTS);<br />

• Enrollment <strong>and</strong> Identity Credential Management;<br />

• Suggested Practices <strong>and</strong> St<strong>and</strong>ards;<br />

30 This document includes an appendix to the SSP entitled “FSSCC R&D Challenges.”<br />

CI/KR Protection R&D

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