10 Cybersecurity Game Changers to Watch in 2010

The field of cybersecurity is becoming increasingly relevant to discussions on national security.

President Barack Obama placed cybersecurity in the forefront of his national…

Hathaway Optimistic on Direction of Cybersecurity

At the ArcSight Protect 09 conference, keynote speaker Melissa Hathaway, former acting senior director for cyberspace at the White House, pointed to her belief that the federal government is moving in the right direction for securing cyberspace. However, she highlighted that currently the nation is not where it should be in terms of protecting cyberspace, and more needs to be done.

Hathaway warned cyber incidents involving…

Mischel Kwon, Director of US Computer Emergency Response Team, Resigns

Mischel Kwon, director of the US Computer Emergency Response Team has resigned, reportedly due to frustration with bureaucratic obstacles and not having sufficient power to execute the functions of her office in Department of Homeland Security, according to Defense Tech.

Mischel Kwon, the fourth U.S. CERT director in five years, resigned on Friday. A Bush administration holdover, she took office in June 2008. Before that, she headed Information Security for the Department of Justice. …

Sen. Collins Wants Answers: Why Did Hathaway Resign?

Senator Collins (R-ME) has asked Melissa Hathaway, acting senior director for cyberspace at the White House, for a copy of her resignation letter. Senator Collins, a senior ranking member on the Senator Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, has also requested that her staff members interview Hathaway regarding why she is leaving the Obama Administration.

Hathaway is a former Bush Administration cyber official and sited personal reasons for her resignation, effective August…

White House Acting Cybersecurity Coordinator, Melissa Hathaway, Resigns

The Wall Street Journal reported late today that Melissa Hathaway, current acting Senior Director of Cyberspace for the National Security and Homeland Security Councils, is stepping down from her post. Hathaway said she took herself out of the running as President Obama’s first offical cyber coordinator over two weeks ago, citing personal reasons. A former cybersecurity specialist at Booz Allen Hamilton, Hathaway’s last day at the White House is…

Emerging Trend: Government Contractor’s Buying Cybersecurity Firms

Since the new administration took office in January of this year, an emerging trend of large government contractors acquiring cybersecurity firms has come to light. In case you missed it, here is a quick recap of top cyber firm acquisitions over the last few months. 

April: Harris Corporation acquires Chantilly, Virginia-based Crucial Security, Inc. Crucial Security Inc. sells offensive and defensive IT solutions.  April: Paradigm Holding’s, Inc. requests merger with Trinity Information Management Services. Trinity IMS…

Melissa Hathaway Speaks at CSIS

Melissa Hathaway spoke at the Center for Strategic & International Studies on Friday with about 100 government and private sector officials.

Hathaway’s speech stressed a need for trust among the public and private sectors, as well as international cooperation.

“The federal government can’t do by itself — it has to be done with the private sector,”…

Potential ‘Cyber Czar’ Candidates Revealed

Melissa Hathaway, Rod Beckstrom and Paul Kurtz are the forerunners in the race to be the U.S. government’s first “cyber czar.” Don Adams, the Palo Alto-based chief technology officer, Worldwide, Public Sector for tech giant Tibco, said in a statement.

The Obama administration’s information security chief (a job title that still…

Obama to Name Cyber Czar This Week

President Barack Obama is expected to announce that he will create a “cyber czar” later this week, according to a Washington Post story.

The post will entail a senior White House official who will execute a broad mandate to develop national-level strategy to protect critical public and private computer networks, according to officials briefed on the plan.

The new adviser will have the broadest, most comprehensive mandate ever granted…

Melissa Hathaway to Present 60-Day Cyber Plan

All the trend-spotting eyes in the cyber world are watching their Google alerts for the name Melissa Hathaway as they wait anxiously for her 60-day report.

Expected in the report is an assessment and recommendations on what direction the Obama administration should take to keep U.S. networks, government and private networks safe from the growing threat of escalating cyber…