Howard Schmidt: What They Say

How are people reacting to President Barack Obama picking Howard Schmidt to be his cybersecurity advisor?

Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, and Sen Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), a senior member of the Committee, said Schmidt "brings the technical expertise and the depth of private sector and governmental experience needed for this important job." But they also cautioned: "We remain concerned that this cybersecurity coordinator position, even filled by a leader like Schmidt, still does not possess the institutional heft that it needs. That's why we introduced legislation last spring that will create a Cabinet-level, Senate confirmed National Cybersecurity Adviser within the White House who will report directly to the President. Our legislation is based on the statute that created the U.S. Trade Representative. We believe that cybersecurity is an issue that cuts across all agencies of government and every sector of the U.S. economy, and our national and economic security calls for powerful leadership from the White House."

James Lewis, director of the technology and public policy program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, "I think it's a good move. The administration has started a lot of initiatives on cyber Defense Department, Homeland Security Department, State Department -- and they need someone to make sure it all fits together. They also need to rewrite the National Cyber Strategy, and having someone to honcho that process and avoid recycling old ideas will be the big challenge."

More at http://techinsider.nextgov.com/2009/12/cyber_gurus_react_to_coordinator_...