Overview[]
The National Cybersecurity Protection System (NCPS) is the focal point of U.S. cyber activity analysis and response. NCPS, operationally known as Einstein,[1] was created in 2003 by the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) in order to aid in its ability to help reduce and prevent computer network vulnerabilities across the federal government.
The NCPS is an essential part of the U.S. homeland security strategy and fulfills multiple major policy requirements. NCPS, the capital investment portion of the National Cybersecurity Protection Program (NCPP), is located within DHS’s National Cyber Security Division (NCSD).
The NCPS investment provides key capabilities in the following four cyber mission areas, which draw from congressional and presidential requirements: (1) Alert, Warning, and Analysis, (2) Coordination & Collaboration, (3) Response and Assistance, and (4) Protect and Detect.