The U.S. government’s director for cybersecurity has resigned, criticizing the excessive role of the National Security Agency in countering threats to the country’s computer systems, The Wall Street Journal has reported.
Former Silicon Valley entrepreneur Rod Beckstrom said in his resignation letter that having the National Security Agency, which is part of the Department of Defense, play a central role in cybersecurity, was “a bad strategy.”
Beckstrom headed the National Cybersecurity Center, which was created last March to coordinate all government cybersecurity efforts and answers to the Department of Homeland Security.
In reality, “NSA currently dominates most national cyber efforts,” Mr. Beckstrom wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on Thursday in his resignation letter [.pdf], posted by the Journal on its website. “While acknowledging the critical importance of NSA to our intelligence efforts, I believe this is a bad strategy on multiple grounds,” he wrote.
National Security Agency officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
Obama has the security infrastructure under review. Time for changes?
Too much cyber, and not enough fiber.
There is a hatred in current administration to everything military or DOD. This one is just an extreme example (or even worse – excuse for Obama to decrease NSA role).
5 weeks paid??
WOW..
But as many know/understand cyber protection is constant.
What ISNT constant, is setting up a Cyber scan of all the traffic. Deciding what is good/bad/and a terrorist threat.
This type of stuff permeates gov’t. The CIO DHS didn’t have authority over the agencies under DHS when it came to overall IT policies…
Let’s see. The Defense Department defending… Sounds right to me.
From his letter,”You know you’re over the target when you’re taking flack…”
Sounds like he was targeting NSA instead of the other way around.
I read over his BIO. I guess his failure has NOTHING to do with the fact that he has no IT security background…
#8, Let me know when you can top this:
He has co-authored four books including one on Value at Risk (VAR), a fundamental theory of financial risk management now used to regulate banking globally.
From 1999 to 2001 Rod served as the Chairman of Privada, Inc. Privada was a pioneer in technology to enable private, anonymous and secure credit card transaction processing over the internet.
And you claim he has no IT security background? What did you read, a Dr. Seuss bio?
Its the idea that he MAY have been testing the system, and the other groups WOULDNT LET HIM..
Maybe this guy read “Daemon” and threw in the towel before Matthew Sobol gets started…
Wasn’t the NSA behind the Clipper Chip project? For those who don’t know, Clipper Chip was an attempt by the government to force all encryption to use a technology that allowed the NSA or law enforcement to evesdrop in conversations.
Needless to say, it went over like a lead ballon. They tried to make it mandatory, but failed.
My point is: The objective of the NSA is to PREVENT effective cyber security, the polar opposite of Beckstrom’s objective. The NSA wants broken or weak encryption because it makes their job of intercepting and analyzing communications easy (or easier). Plus, the NSA has some powerful backers in the DoD and Congress to help them make life hell for any agency or person who thinks otherwise.
Beckstrom saw this for what it was, a no-win situation. There was no way he could implement the tools and technologies he knew was needed as long the true objective of the government was to do otherwise.
Perhaps the mistake of Obama made was putting someone in there who actually knew what he was doing. Normally such posts go to political hacks who wouldn’t know a cypher from a hold in the ground. Such idiots tend to believe whatever the NSA tells them.
bah, he was just peeved because his
department didnt have a cool three letter acronym he could use for pickup lines at the
bar.
-tbh, i i wouldnt be suprised if the nsa
was completely compromising his work for
which he would ultimately be the fall guy for.
also..seems like anybody with a consious wants no part of this administration. i cant wait to see what this means for us common folk down the line..
spin it anyway you want, -it’s not a good
sign.
-s
# 12 Ron Larson said, in part:
“Perhaps the mistake of Obama made was putting someone in there who actually knew what he was doing.”
Actually, the Wikipedia article about him says he was appointed in March 2008, during GWB’s term, though it doesn’t say who appointed him. The appointment likely came from within Homeland Security.
NSA – The super spook agency with a name. I’d say he tried to fit in there. Can you imagine all those ‘ex-military’ taking orders and sharing confidential information with this geek!? Not gonna happen! He’s probrably the right guy for the job, but that’s unimportant. The real issue here is the government no longer has control of this agency, or of the CIA, and only partially of the FBI, ATF, or FEMA. If Obama were smart and had some balls he’d reorganize the lot, a complete review of all administrative personnel and practices. Bring the fact that he can’t control them or their budgets to light.
# 9 KD Martin said, “Let me know when you can top this:
He has co-authored four books including one on Value at Risk (VAR), a fundamental theory of financial risk management now used to regulate banking globally.
From 1999 to 2001 Rod served as the Chairman of Privada,”
LOL – Easily.
VAR is NOT cyber security. I’ve been a board member of a telco. This guy is a good exec. He personally wouldn’t know whether a large system was secure or not. I’ve forgotten more about IT Sec than this guy has ever known.
#12–Ron Larsen==”Perhaps the mistake of Obama made was putting someone in there who actually knew what he was doing. Normally such posts go to political hacks who wouldn’t know a cypher from a hold in the ground. Such idiots tend to believe whatever the NSA tells them.” ///
I’ll bet Paddy-Zero’s eyes got wide on that one and he’s off spiffing up his resume right now in anticipation of a call from the NSA’s headhunters right now.
HAR!!!!!!!!!
# 17 bobbo said, “he’s off spiffing up his resume right now in anticipation of a call from the NSA’s ”
I’d never be an employee there. I have consulted for them CIA & DoD.
Bekstom is a stand up guy.
He reluctantly took the post. He doesn’t need the cash. He has absolutely no desire to to be in government.
Guys that are used to getting things done, do not suffer fools well. Especially when the stakes are this high.