Cyber Security Czar
Published By: Contingency Today
Publication Date: 26 June 2009
Mike Gillespie, director at Advent IM, believes he sees command and control problems looming already following President Obama's announcement that he intends to appoint a Cyber Security Czar.
Whilst the Cyber Security Czar title sounds altogether very impressive.. I can see a problem looming already: one of command and control over this appointment. It can do no harm to position an individual with direct access to the President who can quantify levels of threat and explain potential counter-measures to combat them.
However, in the case of the previous incumbent, I don't think he held his position for very long. The cause of his departure is unknown, but he was very well respected in the IT security sector; therefore, it questions whether he found the position to be purely political, or found lack of co-operation with government departments and commercial organisations to be too difficult?
In principle, any communication back to a President or governmental figure about security from an International or National perspective, down to commercial and residential environment is appropriate, however it is probably more important to address how that information is handled, interpreted and or analysed and taken action against. It would be easy for misinterpretation, so the information put forward needs to be delivered unbiased and decided upon with an agreed treatment of consideration by a collective team rather than one cyber 'geek'.
The pitfalls are of course the temptation for the US to go it alone and damp down the cyber space as and when it feels appropriate without the international perspective or intelligence. This will extend the reach of the US in support of the Global War on Terrorism but who will dictate the balance between this and the economic drivers? If the Czar isn't careful he will become torn in numerous directions and achieve very little. Either way, cooperation with National agencies, government departments and commercial organisations will be a key factor, however competing with other departments vying for political recognition may also impede progress.
