security asset, President Obama said that the person who runs the White House of- fice would be pivotal to the nation’s effort to fend off cyber threats.


“I’ll depend on this official in all matters relating to cyber security, and this official will have my full support and regular access to me as we confront these challenges,” President Obama said. In his White House role, Schmidt reports to Deputy National Security Advisor John O. Brennan, although he works closely with the White House’s national economics council. His jurisdic- tion includes being on top of the govern- ment’s multi-agency effort to thwart cyber crimes that are being thrust at the govern- ment because of the increasing computer advances.


Many experts worry that the some- times untraceable threats that lurk in cyberspace have outstripped the ability to deter them. Last year, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton warned potential adversaries that the United States would not tolerate cyber attacks.


“States, terrorists, and those would act as their proxies must know that the United States will protect our networks,” she said in a speech. “Those who disrupt the free flow of information in our society or any others who pose a threat to our economy, our government and our civil society.”


That threat has prompted a large and growing government response, which is creating opportunities for computer firms and experts and opening entirely new careers. USBE&IT recently posed some questions to Schmidt, who is helping to coordinate that response. The discussion follows here:


USBE&IT: Please describe the nature and the urgency of the cyber security threat confronting the nation.


The Internet, and all of cyberspace, is critical to our economy. Cyberspace


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enables the free flow of commerce, and the Internet is a vehicle for growth and communication. Yet this infrastructure has vulnerabilities that create cyber security challenges. Cyber crime, economic espio- nage, and the cyber attacks seen by other countries affect our trust in cyberspace and our willingness to put services online.


USBE&IT: How has that threat evolved in recent years? A growing array of state and non-state bad actors such as international criminal groups are target- ing U.S. citizens, commerce, critical infrastructure, and government. These actors have the abil- ity to compromise, steal, change, or completely destroy information. The


initiatives require the coordinated effort of many departments and agencies. The cross-cutting nature of the cyber security policy area is why the president appointed a cyber security coordinator in the White House to orchestrate activities across the


As the cyber security coordinator for the Obama White House, Schmidt works to excite young people about opportunities within information assurance fields.


continued exploitation of information networks and the compromise of sensi- tive data, especially by nations, leaves the United States vulnerable to the loss of economic competitiveness and the loss of technological advantages.


USBE&IT: What is the government doing to respond to this threat? In order to handle the magnitude of these challenges, cyber security requires the whole of government, and, indeed, the whole nation, to respond. Although specific agency leads have been des- ignated for many of the cyber security initiatives–e.g. DHS for the National Cy- ber Incident Response Plan, Department of Defense for Cyber Command, NIST for coordinating the National Initiative for Cyber Education among others–many


federal government to achieve a more secure and resilient information and com- munications infrastructure. More than ever before, the federal government is coming together and coordinating a multitude of efforts to make America safer.


USBE&IT: What skills are needed to work in the cyber security sector?


Some of the skills are obvious— familiarity with computer and network technologies, software design, IT sys- tems administration, and basic security principles are examples. Many others are equally important, but perhaps not as obvi- ous. These include skills that are useful in many areas of business management such as policy design and assessment, process engineering and management, analytical


USBE&IT I WINTER 2010 7


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