With America on high alert for possible terrorist activity as a result of the war with Iraq, schools are being asked to do their part to help secure the nation's critical computer infrastructure from cyber attacks that could cripple the country's central nervous system.

Schools should perform security audits of their computer networks and should implement programs that teach students about the importance of cyber security, the federal government said. In addition, colleges and universities should establish information centers to deal with cyber attacks and vulnerabilities, as well as on-call points of contact to internet service providers (ISPs) and law enforcement officials in case their technology systems are used as launching points for attacks.

These recommendations are part of the Bush administration's "National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace," the final draft of which was released in February. The document provides a blueprint for responding to cyber attacks against America's computer systems; reducing the nation's vulnerability to such attacks; increasing awareness and training to prevent them from occurring; securing the government's computer networks; and enlisting the cooperation of the international community.

Although the goals themselves appear to be logical ingredients for a more secure digital society, the path to achieving them depends on the ability of federal, state, and local governments to work in concert with private-sector businesses and public institutions—including K-12 schools, colleges, and universities—to address awareness, provide proper training, make technical improvements, protect infrastructures, and develop stronger recovery operations, according to the strategy.

"The cornerstone of America's cyberspace security strategy is and will remain a public-private partnership," said President Bush in a letter introducing the document. "The federal government invites the creation of, and participation in, public-private partnerships to implement this strategy. Only by working together can we build a more secure future in cyberspace."

On the federal side, the majority of this responsibility will be shouldered by the newly created Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its secretary, former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge.

Under the president's strategy, DHS is charged with developing a comprehensive national plan for securing key United States infrastructures by managing the response to attacks on critical information systems; supplying technical assistance with respect to infrastructure failures and contingency plans; and coordinating with other federal agencies to provide more specific warnings about possible cyber attacks, including what protective measures should be applied to lessen their effects.

The department also will fund and oversee research that the Bush administration hopes will provide new scientific understanding and technologies in support of better cyber security, the report said.