Fergie's Tech Blog

U.S. Cyber Security Czar Quits Amid Fears of NSA Takeover

Noah Shachtman writes on Danger Room:

Rod Beckström, the Department of Homeland Security's controversial cybersecurity chief, has suddenly resigned amid allegations of power grabs and bureaucratic infighting.

Beckström — a management theorist, entrepreneur, and author — was named last year to head up the new National Cybersecurity Center. To some, it seemed an odd choice since Beckström isn't an expert in security. But the hope was that he could use his management skills to help coordinate the nation's often-dysfunctional network defenses.

Part of the Department of Homeland Security — for now, the government's lead agency for cyber protection — the Center was supposed to be the one place where the defense of civilian, military, and intelligence network could all be marshaled together.

At least, that was the idea. But the Center never had a chance to even start doing its job, Beckström complained in a resignation letter to DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano that has been obtained by Danger Room. The Center "did not receive appropriate support" from the Department of Homeland Security to help coordinate network defenses, he said.

posted by Fergie @ 3/06/2009 10:37:00 AM