Network Security News

Report: Obama to name cyber czar this week

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

President Obama will name a cyber czar this week, according to an anonymously sourced report in today's Washington Post.

The new White House position will oversee national cybersecurity efforts and will probably be a member of the National Security Council and report to the national security adviser as well as the senior White House economic adviser, the Post reported.

Obama's announcement will come as the administration releases a report that outlines the government's cybersecurity "strategic vision" and the responsibilities of the role. The report is based on the 60-day review conducted by former Bush cybersecurity aide Melissa Hathaway, who the Post reported is under consideration for the cyber czar job.

The cybersecurity report does not make detailed prescriptions for the role of the National Security Agency, but recommends that the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board have some oversight of cybersecurity policy as it relates to privacy of citizens' electronic communications, according to the Post's sources.

Several high profile security breaches of U.S. government networks and agencies have been reported in recent months - including a virus that infected computers at the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service last week, forcing the agencies to shut down some of their networks.