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[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 85 (Friday, May 2, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25138-25139]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-10024]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

[Docket No. DHS-2014-0014]

President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory 
Committee

AGENCY: National Protection and Programs Directorate, DHS.

ACTION: Committee Management; Notice of Partially Closed Federal 
Advisory Committee Meeting.

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SUMMARY: The President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory 
Committee (NSTAC) will meet on Wednesday, May 21, 2014, in Washington, 
DC. The meeting will be partially closed to the public.

DATES: The NSTAC will meet in a closed session on Wednesday, May 21, 
2014, from 9:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. and in an open session on Wednesday, 
May 21, 2014, from 12:45 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The open session will be held at the Eisenhower Executive 
Office Building, Washington, DC and will begin at 12:45 p.m. Seating is 
limited and therefore will be provided on a first-come,first-
servebasis. Additionally, the public portion of the meeting will be 
streamed via webcast at http://www.whitehouse.gov/live. For information 
on facilities or services for individuals with disabilities or to 
request special assistance at the meeting, contact nstac@dhs.gov as 
soon as possible.
    We are inviting public comment on the issues the NSTAC will 
consider, as listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below. 
Associated briefing materials that will be discussed at the meeting 
will be available at www.dhs.gov/nstac for review as of May 5, 2014. 
Comments must be submitted in writing no later than May 14, 2014. 
Comments must be identified by docket number DHS-2014-0014 and may be 
submitted by one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Email: NSTAC@dhs.gov. Include the docket number in the 
subject line of the message.
     Fax: 703-235-5962, Attn: Sandy Benevides.
     Mail: Designated Federal Officer, National Security 
Telecommunications Advisory Committee, National Protection and Programs 
Directorate, Department of Homeland Security, 245 Murray Lane, Mail 
Stop 0615, Arlington VA 20598-0615.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the words 
``Department of Homeland Security'' and the docket number for this 
action. Comments received will be posted without alteration at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received by the NSTAC, go to http://www.regulations.gov, 
referencing docket number DHS-2014-0014.
    A public comment period will be held during the open portion of the 
meeting on Wednesday, May 21, 2014, from 3:15 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., and 
speakers are requested to limit their comments to 3 minutes. Please 
note that the public comment period may end before the time indicated, 
following the last call for comments. Contact Sandy Benevides at 703-
235-5408 or Sandra.Benevides@dhs.gov to register as a speaker by close 
of business on May 14, 2014. Speakers will be accommodated in order of 
registration within the constraints of the time allotted to public 
comment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Helen Jackson, NSTAC Designated 
Federal Officer, Department of Homeland Security, telephone (703) 235-
5321 or Helen.Jackson@dhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of this meeting is given under the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (Pub. L. 92-463). The 
NSTAC advises the President on matters related to national security and 
emergency preparedness (NS/EP) telecommunications policy.
    Agenda: The committee will meet in open session to engage in an 
international panel discussion comprised of members from Canada, the 
United Kingdom, and the United States to discuss their country's 
approaches to infrastructure protection. Additionally, members will 
receive feedback from the Department of Homeland Security regarding the 
progress of the Government's implementation of recent NSTAC 
recommendations. The NSTAC members will be briefed on the committee's 
progress regarding its report on the Internet of Things. The committee 
will examine the cybersecurity implications of the Internet of Things, 
within the context of national security and emergency preparedness. 
Finally, NSTAC members will deliberate and vote on the NSTAC 
Information Technology Mobilization Scoping Report. The NSTAC will meet 
in a closed session to hear a classified briefing regarding 
cybersecurity threats and to discuss future studies based on 
Government's security priorities and perceived vulnerabilities.
    Basis for Closure: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552b(c), Government 
in the Sunshine Act, it has been determined that two agenda items 
require closure as the disclosure of the information would not be in 
the public interest.
    The first of these agenda items, the classified briefing, will 
provide members with context on nation state capabilities and strategic 
threats. Such threats target national communications infrastructure and 
impact industry's long-term competitiveness and growth, as well as the 
Government's ability to mitigate threats. Disclosure of these threats 
would provide criminals who wish to intrude into commercial and 
Government networks with information on potential vulnerabilities and 
mitigation techniques, also weakening existing cybersecurity defense 
tactics. This briefing will be classified at the top secret level, 
thereby exempting disclosure of the content by statute. Therefore, this 
portion of the meeting is

[[Page 25139]]

required to be closed pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(1)(A).
    The second agenda item, the discussion of potential NSTAC study 
topics, will address areas of critical cybersecurity vulnerabilities 
and priorities for Government. Government officials will share data 
with NSTAC members on initiatives, assessments, and future security 
requirements. The data to be shared includes specific vulnerabilities 
within cyberspace that affect the Nation's communications and 
information technology infrastructures and proposed mitigation 
strategies. Disclosure of this information to the public would provide 
criminals with an incentive to focus on these vulnerabilities to 
increase attacks on our cyber and communications networks. Therefore, 
this portion of the meeting is likely to significantly frustrate 
implementation of proposed DHS actions and is required to be closed 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(9)(B).

    Dated: April 25, 2014.
Helen Jackson,
Designated Federal Officer for the NSTAC.
[FR Doc. 2014-10024 Filed 5-1-14; 8:45 am]
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