The U.S. software industry is pushing for a greater role as government officials develop a policy to ward off attacks on the nation's communications infrastructure, a trade group said on Friday.

The Business Software Alliance, which represents companies including Microsoft Corp and Dell Inc., told White House officials this week the government should share more threat and attack information with the industry.

It submitted a set of recommendations to Melissa Hathaway, the acting senior director for cyber space at the White House, this week, the group said. She had asked for industry views in an earlier meeting.

The private sector owns about 85 percent of critical infrastructure in the United States, according to BSA.

On Thursday, Senator John Rockefeller, chairman of the Senate commerce panel, held a hearing on vulnerabilities related to cybersecurity, calling it one of the most crucial issues the nation faces.

Cyber attacks have the potential to impact everything, every part of our security and our adversaries know it -- from the international power supply networks to Wall Street trading to a small online business, the senator said his opening remarks.

(Reporting by Kim Dixon; Editing by Gary Hill)

Hacking Software Security