White House Names New Cybersecurity Coordinator

Today the White House announced the appointment of Howard Schmidt as the nation’s Cybersecurity Coordinator. In this newly created role, Schmidt will be responsible for leading a national charge to educate the public sector on their role in maintaining information security, while supporting research and development of new security technologies.

In a video posted today on WhiteHouse.gov, Schmidt emphasized the shared responsibility technology users have to protect information. He has a big job ahead of him, including several responsibilities, assigned to him by the President: developing comprehensive strategies to secure American networks; ensure an organized and unified response to future cyber incidents; strengthening public, private and international partnerships to protect information; promoting R&D for next gen technologies; and leading a nationwide campaign promoting cyber security education.

“Ultimately no one—not government, not the private sector, not individual citizens, can keep us safe and strong alone,” Schmidt said in the video. “When it comes to cybersecurity our vulnerability is shared, and so is our responsibility to ensure our networks are secure, trustworthy and resilient.”

Schmidt, who was cyber-advisor during the Bush Administration, most recently served as President and CEO of the Internet Security Forum, a nonprofit organization focused on cyber risks internationally. He has also served as Chief Security Officer for Microsoft and Chief Information Security Officer for eBay, in addition to decades in government and law enforcement roles.

Here’s video posted on the White House site discussing Schmidt’s background and approach:

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Lesly Simmons is a freelance writer and interactive communications and events specialist based in San Francisco, California.
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