The White House’s lengthy, closely watched effort to select a coordinator for its cybersecurity efforts has culminated in the appointment of a former Microsoft and eBay security officer. eSecurity Planet has the story.
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| Howard Schmidt shakes hands with the president in an official White House photo Photo: Lawrence Jackson |
After a seven-month search, President Obama has made his choice to head up the government’s cybersecurity operations, selecting a seasoned veteran of the security community who has held high-profile positions in both the public and private sectors.
The White House this morning announced the appointment of Howard Schmidt to the newly created position of cybersecurity coordinator, a role that will bring considerable challenges as the administration seeks to articulate a clear cybersecurity policy in concert with Congress, the private sector, and state and local authorities.
Schmidt has held top security spots at tech heavyweights Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY), and also headed up Bush administration cybersecurity policy for nearly a year and a half earlier in the decade.