First Cyber Security Chief in the White House

Gregory Touhill, a cyber security staffer for the Department of Homeland Security, has been named the very first federal head cyber security officer.

The US President said that the appointment is in accordance with an ongoing plan to enhance cyber security in the latter part of his term.

John Pescatore, emerging security trends director for cyber security company the SANS Institute, told the Christian Science Monitor that there was previously a federal expert on cyber security who reported to Office. However, he said that it was a PR move with all talk and no action.

He added:

“What the federal government has lacked was an inward-facing chief security officer whose goal is to make the federal government more secure, versus to talk about cyber security in general or to weigh in on policy matters.”

Touhill, who once served as a brigadier general for the US Air Force, will assume his role later in the month, according to Reuters. As the appointment is a political one, President Obama could yet replace him.

Acting deputy for Touhill will be the National Security Council’s director of cyber security policy, Grant Schneider.

If the White House recognises the important role that cyber security plays today, we will hopefully see that realisation trickle down to organisations and businesses worldwide. UK businesses could certainly benefit from increased cyber security and, by reassessing their IT security recruitment strategy, many may just realise that they are not doing enough at present.