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President Clinton, Computer Experts to Focus on Security in Cyberspace

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BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The FBI is reportedly getting ready to question three suspects in last week's wave of cyber-attacks. According to today's "Washington Post," authorities were able to link hacker aliases to real names and addresses. Some of the nation's largest banks apparently received detailed warnings about the hacker attacks days before they took place, but under the rules of an usual private security network, they were prohibited from informing authorities on that.

Security in cyberspace is the focus of one White House meeting today. In about two-and-a-half hours from now, President Clinton will meet with technology experts and a hacker known as "Mudge."

For more, live to the White House and CNN's Kathleen Koch for this and more on "Mudge" -- Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, the White House won't say much about mysterious "Mudge," who's only described as a reformed hacker working for a think tank doing security consulting. But perhaps he'll be giving the president and some 25 computer experts and technology executives some insight into what is driving this new security threat, and it is indeed a threat that this White House is already taking seriously, if money is any gauge of concern.

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JOHN PODESTA, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: We've got a very robust plan. We've asked for $2 billion to protest the federal computer systems and the federal critical infrastructure, but we want to work with the private sector to create a partnership between the public and the private sectors to share information to enhance our security and to make the overall digital economy a safer place to do business.

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KOCH: One idea that fits neatly into that description is a national cyber-security center. It would be a public/private facility to monitor and respond to hacker attacks. President Clinton is, today, expected to ask Congress for $9 million in additional money to make much needed immediate security improvements, especially to protect federal government computers. Many people describe last weeks Internet hacker attacks as the end of Internet innocence, but the White House is very concerned that, as the private and public sector try to crack down on those rogue elements, that they not violate the rights of innocent Americans. So also taking part in today's meeting are authorities on the issue of privacy, and they will be, of course, weighing in on any of the proposals.

Reporting live at the White House, I'm Kathleen Koch.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Kathleen, thank you.

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