Network Security News

Cybersecurity official Kwon resigns from US-CERT

Monday, August 10, 2009

Mischel Kwon, director of the U.S. Computer Emergency Response Team (US-CERT), a cybersecurity agency within the Department of Homeland Security, has submitted her resignation.

Kwon, the fourth director of US-CERT in the last five years, had been frustrated by a lack of authority to fulfill her mission to protect the network security of civilian government agencies, according to anonymous officials, the Washington Post reported.

Her resignation comes soon after Melissa Hathaway, a top cybersecurity aide under President Bush who continued to serve in the Obama administration, announced she was stepping down.

The Obama administration had directed Hathaway to lead a comprehensive review of U.S. cybersecurity, which recommended the creation of a so-called cyber czar to serve in the White House and report to the Economic Security Council and the National Security Council.

Obama has yet to fill the position and several people have turned down the job, including Hathaway. Rod Beckstrom, another DHS cybersecurity official, resigned in March over what he described as the domination of civilian cybersecurity by the military.

A recent report highlighted the struggles of the federal government to recruit and retain top cybersecurity talent. The Department of Defense has launched a hacking contest to draw on young talent.