Georgia Tech Professor Howard Schmidt Named National Cyber Czar

President Barack Obama has appointed Howard Schmidt, adjunct faculty member in the Georgia Tech Information Security Center (GTISC) in the College of Computing, as the new White House cybersecurity coordinator.

“Howard is one of the world’s leading authorities on computer security, with some 40 years of experience in government, business and law enforcement,” said John Brennan, assistant to the president for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, in an e-mail announcing the appointment last month. “Howard will have regular access to the president and serve as a key member of his National Security Staff. He will also work closely with his economic team to ensure that our cybersecurity efforts keep the nation secure and prosperous.”

At Tech, Schmidt has helped set up the GTISC industry advisory board. He has worked on a research project to evaluate the cyber security policies of various United States stakeholders. He has also given lectures on security policies and strategies.

Schmidt previously served as former chief security strategist for the US CERT Partners Program and former special advisor to the White House for Cyberspace Security under President George W. Bush. He joined Tech in 2006 to work with GTISC to improve the state of information security by lending his vast knowledge and expertise in this growing technological area.

Schmidt’s distinguished career as an information security advocate includes leadership positions with both public and private sector organizations. He has served on the President’s Critical Infrastructure Protection Board, was an augmented member of the President’s Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology and held executive positions with the Information Systems Security Association, the Information Technology Information Sharing and Analysis Center, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Information Security Privacy Advisory Board. Schmidt also served as vice president and chief security strategist for eBay and chief security officer for Microsoft Corporation, forming and directing the computer giant’s Trustworthy Computer Security Strategies Group.

David Terraso
Georgia Tech

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NCSA Applauds President Obama's Cybersecurity Coordinator Appointment

/PRNewswire/ -- The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), the leading public private partnership in cybersecurity education and awareness, today applauded President Obama's appointment of Howard Schmidt as Cybersecurity Coordinator. Mr. Schmidt brings with him the necessary breadth and depth of experience across government, industry, and non-profit sectors, along with a broad understanding of the unique challenges cybersecurity presents to America's national and economic security.

"On behalf of the NCSA Board of Directors, I congratulate Howard on his appointment," said Shannon Kellogg, NCSA Board Chairman, and Director of Information Security Policy for EMC Corporation. "Cybersecurity is our shared responsibility and together we can educate Americans to be good digital citizens at home, work and school, helping create a robust and secure digital infrastructure. NCSA looks forward to continuing to work with the Obama Administration to expand national cybersecurity awareness efforts, one of the recommendations stated in the President's 60 Day Review on Cybersecurity earlier this year."

"NCSA looks forward to working closely with Mr. Schmidt to continue the important national public awareness campaign to help every American understand the steps they need take to protect the computers they use, the networks they connect to, and the digital assets we all share," said Michael Kaiser, NCSA executive director. "We thank President Obama for making cybersecurity awareness and education a strong priority, including posting tips for staying safe online with the announcement of Mr. Schmidt's appointment."

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Cyberspace Thought Leaders Discuss Challenges Facing Nation's First 'Cyber Czar'

/PRNewswire/ -- Lack of real power, entrenched government bureaucracy and the ever-shifting paradigm of cyberspace are just a few of the challenges that may face the country's first Cybersecurity Coordinator, according to a panel of three nationally recognized cyber experts who spoke with reporters yesterday at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. A webcast of the entire program can be viewed at http://www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?id=59747.

Tom Davis, former U.S. Congressman from Virginia and now director of Federal Government Affairs for Deloitte LLP; James Bamford, award-winning journalist and best-selling cyberspace book author; and Dale Meyerrose, the first Senate-confirmed chief information officer for National Intelligence and a retired Major General (USAF), presented a variety of perspectives on what the nation's yet-unnamed 'cyber czar' will likely confront during his or her first 100 days.

"I think the administration has taken the appropriate first step," said Meyerrose, who is now vice president and general manager for the Cyberspace Solutions business at Harris Corporation. "They have acknowledged that the status quo is unacceptable and are setting priorities. The cyber security coordinator will have to address the issues of authority, accommodation within the existing process, and an agenda and then think big, start small, and scale up rapidly. That is the secret to success in a non-crisis environment."

Meyerrose cautioned against relying on old paradigms in defining and addressing the challenges posed by today's interconnected world. "In the cyber world, if it's connected, it's vulnerable; if it functions, it presents an attack thread. Anything that touches cyberspace is at risk."

Davis discussed the complexity of making progress within the existing government bureaucracy. "There are a lot of competing interests. Key questions will be how much authority the coordinator has and how they will deal with the stovepipes and with getting legislative initiatives through Congress, where everyone will want to have a say. It becomes very complex and it will be a tough job. I applaud them [the administration] for taking the first step."

Bamford struck a cautious note in his remarks, offering his opinion that the cyberspace coordinator position, as currently defined, lacks real power and budget, and might be overshadowed by the director of the National Security Agency (NSA), who heads the Pentagon's new Cyber Command to protect military networks.

"That would present quite a dilemma in terms of public civil liberties," he said. "I'd be much happier to see a very powerful person in charge of the cyber activity with a deputy from the civil liberties side of the spectrum. I also worry about the hype factor regarding vulnerabilities and would like to see the danger rhetoric toned down a bit."

Meyerrose also emphasized the importance of educating the American public about cyberspace. "Cyberspace underpins virtually every aspect of our lives these days, from large networks and grids for our government and commercial institutions to our ATM machines and the light switches on the wall. If you are on line, you are both a target and a threat. Priorities for cyber may become on par with our defense and intelligence missions."

A world leader in cyber security, Harris has been using state-of-the-art technology assessment techniques and architecture engineering for decades to define and operate secure networks supporting nationally critical programs. Harris currently supports three of the nation's largest secure networks, including the FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure, the National Reconnaissance Office network, and the Navy Marine Corps Intranet.

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