The social and economic well being of the nation and Pacific Northwest region is more dependent then ever on information infrastructure managed by computer software systems and networks. We are connected in ways we have never been before, are more dependent upon our networked infrastructure than ever before, and are increasing our dependence on increasingly more complex networked infrastructures. New protections against mobile program code attacks - worms, virus, et al - and denial of service threats are required, in additionto age-old

protections like encryption, backup & recovery, system access control, contingency operations, and disaster recovery.

The challenges of information assurance are not going to be solved easily, quickly, or independently. Solutions will require new research, new capabilities, new products and services, a spectrum of broadly and specially educated professionals, a much more aware public, and much innovation and broad collaboration. Washington is a convergence of international commerce, military defense, and network-based software development. As such, it is both vulnerable to disruption, and is the home of a spectrum of professional talent and organizations that can be well served by the presence of a national center of excellence.