Network Security News

DHS taps hacker Jeff Moss for cybersecurity advisory role

Monday, June 8, 2009

Jeff Moss, founder of the Black Hat and DefCon computer hacker conferences, was among those named to the Department of Homeland Security Advisory Council Friday by secretary Janet Napolitano.

Moss, who has also worked in IT security for Ernst & Young, has gone by the hacker handle Dark Tangent.

"I always figured that because of my associations in the past that I would be kind of out of the running for anything like this," Moss told the Threat Level blog on Wired.com. "To me it shows that they're really looking for fresh perspectives."

Moss, 39, will serve on the advisory council with distinguished security and law enforcement professionals including former senator Gary Hart, former FBI director Louis Freeh, New York police commissioner Raymond Kelly and 9/11 commission member Lee Hamilton.

The announcement came Friday as Napolitano spoke to a gathering of police and elected officials about the government's counternarcotics plan for Southwest border states, which was streamed live to local intelligence sharing "fusion centers" throughout the Southwest.

"As we work to fulfill the department's core mission of securing the country against the many threats it faces, the unique insights and expertise of this diverse council will be a valuable resource," Napolitano said.