Obama Overhauls Homeland Security & Names Cyber Security 'Czar'

"Our technological advantage is a key to America's military dominance. But our defense and military networks are under constant attack," President Obama said, noting that al Qaeda and other terrorist groups have threatened to unleash cyberattacks on the United States. "Indeed, in today's world, acts of terror could come not only from a few extremists in suicide vests but from a few key strokes on the computer -- a weapon of mass disruption."

President Obama is expected to announce late this week that he will create a "cyber czar," a senior White House official who will have broad authority to develop strategy to protect the nation's government-run and private computer networks, according to people who have been briefed on the plan.

Key decisions that I have made include:

The full integration of White House staff supporting national security and homeland security.  The new National Security Staff will support all White House policy-making activities related to international, transnational, and homeland security matters. 

The National Security Staff, under the direction of the National Security Advisor, will end the artificial divide between White House staff who have been dealing with national security and homeland security issues.     

Maintaining the Homeland Security Council as the principle venue for inter-agency deliberations on issues that affect the security of the homeland such as terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, natural disasters, and pandemic influenza.  The Homeland Security Council, like its National Security Council counterpart, will be supported by the National Security Staff.

The establishment of new directorates and positions within the National Security Staff will handle emerging 21st Century challenges including cybersecurity, WMD terrorism, trans-border security, information sharing, and resilience policy, including preparedness and response. 

The Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism (AP/HSCT) will remain as my principal White House advisor on these issues, with direct and immediate access to me.  The security of our homeland is of paramount importance to me, and I will not allow organizational impediments to stand in the way of timely action that ensures the safety of our citizens.

The new Global Engagement Directorate will oversee policies that leverage diplomacy, communications, international development and assistance, and domestic engagement and outreach in pursuit of a host of national security objectives, including those related to homeland security.

Hathaway was named acting senior director for cyberspace for the National Security Council as well as the Homeland Security Council.   She has chaired a multi-agency group called the National Cyber Study Group that was instrumental in developing the Comprehensive National Cyber Security Initiative, which was approved by former President George W. Bush early last year.

Amit Yoran, a former director of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's National Cyber Security Division, said today that although Hathaway isn't very well known outside of Washington, she is a "known entity" within the federal cybersecurity community.