Military commander suggests new ’secure zone’ to protect critical computer systems from attack

‘Secure zone’ suggested to counter computer threat

WASHINGTON — The commander of the military’s computer operations says the government should create a “secure zone” for federal agencies, financial network and critical infrastructure.

Gen. Keith Alexander says that must be done carefully — so it doesn’t affect the millions of people in the U.S. who use the Internet every day.

The director of the National Security Agency says there’s a growing threat of attacks and there’s a pressing need to protect vital systems.

Alexander says officials are trying to figure out how best to respond to an attack on U.S. computer systems.