The National Security Agency and Homeland Security Department are swapping cybersecurity personnel under the terms of a memorandum of agreement made public Oct. 13.

The memo (.pdf) sets an agenda of cooperation between the DHS and the Defense Department on national network security and was signed by both departmental secretaries Sept. 27.

Among its provisions is that the NSA and Cyber Command personnel be stationed at the DHS National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center, and that they be integrated into DHS's cybersecurity operations.

"Our perspective is that it will be a lot faster and more cost effective to make sure NSA is supporting DHS as effectively as possible than to expect DHS to try to build all the capabilities NSA has," a senior DoD official said while speaking with reporters Oct. 13.

The memo also requires DHS to assign personnel to work at the NSA National Threat Operations Center, and, as need be, to Cyber Command. The two departments are establishing a "Joint Coordination Element" to manage cybersecurity responses between them. DHS is also sending a full-time senior official to be office at NSA who will have a support team of DHS privacy, civil liberties and legal personnel, according to the memo.

The memo doesn't change existing legal authorities and won't impact privacy or civil liberties, the memo also states.

"We are building a new framework between our departments to enhance operational coordination and joint program planning," DoD Secretary Robert Gates and DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a joint statement.

"We will improve economy and efficiency by better leveraging vital technologies and personnel to serve both departments' missions in full adherence to U.S. laws and regulation," Gates and Napolitano add.

For more:
- download the memorandum of agreement (.pdf)
- read Gates' and Napolitano's joint statement

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