Slashdot Mirror
Howard Schmidt Resigns As Cybersecurity Advisor
scubacuda writes "CNN and others report that former Microsoft chief of security Howard Schmidt has resigned as White House cybersecurity adviser. 'With the historic creation of the Department of Homeland Security, the transfer of many of the responsibilities from the Critical Infrastructure Protection Board and the release of the strategy, I have decided to retire after approximately 31 years of public service and return to the private sector,' Schmidt said in his April 21 e-mail."
I mean, I know we saw plenty of "What's good for Microsoft is good for America" rhetoric during the anti-trust trial, but that would be a bit over the top.
...a Beowulf cluster of these resignations!
You're probably thinking of the privacy officer that came from DoubleClick. Another obvious choice. The Department of Oxymoronic Mandarins must be well funded this year.
If tits were wings it'd be flying around.
Good Job. We all know how secure Microsft products are.
/troll
/sarcasm
I nominate Hillary Rosen to be the next Cybersecurity advisor
I can just imagine the look on their faces...
"Wait a minute...this guy was the Chief of Security for who?!?"
the security advisor resigns via e-mail? doesn't anyone find this a little bit ironic? :)
I smell a sequel ...
About Schmidt 2: Cyber Patrol
2 whole months!
I wonder what really made him quit?
Buffer overflow - he actually got six years of work done in those two months.
Too bad most of it was jibberish.
Moneyed corporations, non-working 'poor' and criminal prisoners are turning productive citizens into tax-slaves.
OK, that was a bit too informative. Are you him or something?
"It is not how things are in the world that is mystical, but that it exists." -Ludwig Wittgenstein
WTF? He's only been there for like 2 months. Why was he fired? This is truly disapointing for the welfare of our government's computer systems. Who else could possibly be more qualified than the former Chief Security Officer for Microsoft Corporation?
No, I read the articles linked in the Slashdot story.
Apparently his suggestion to replace Dr. Pepper with Code Red in all the vending machines was the final straw.
Freedom Is Universal
Linux-Universe
>No, I read the articles linked in the Slashdot story.
Look buddy, if you're going to be pulling shit like that, I'm afraid you're just going to have to leave.
In other news, Microsoft announced that they had just been awarded a number of new Homeland Secuirity contracts.
Lacking <sarcasm> tags,
He didn't do the Austin Powers double quote thing with his fingers each time he said 'cyber'
I wonder what really made him quit?
He finished his job. The Internet is now secure. Thanks, Howard Schmidt!
NO CARRIER
I really need some work.
2 whole months!
I wonder what really made him quit?
Maybe they forgot to reboot him?
--
Freeper Logic
"This is probably a sign that the current administration has really bad cyber security plans."
If the security is so bad for a former Microsoft employee to want to wash his hands of it, I weep for the future.
And lets not forget the waste of time having to read every story more than once...
a) Whoever's in the office of Cybersecurity Adviser is basically the designated fall guy. We'll see this person pushed out (e.g. fake resignation) whenever there's a "cyber attack" that he "should have seen coming."
That's like the old story about the king who always kept several heads of cabbage on his advisory committee. That way, whenever one of his programs conspicuously miscarriages, he could announce that a member of the royal staff has just been beheaded over it, to everyone's nodding approval.
try { do() || do_not(); } catch (JediException err) { yoda(err); }
c) Both men accepted this position, were asked to do something they couldn't morally/personally agree to do (perhaps some sort of TIA-style project, or overzealous "figure out how to route the entire internet through the NSA" plan) and decided to get out.
Schmidt accepted jobs from Microsoft AND the government, and you think he has morals!?!?!
OK, that was a bit too informative. Are you him or something?
Yes, I am that person.
I'm willing to back up what I say with cash, too!
During my tenure as a special United States government official, my business connections have netted me slightly more than US$47 million in funds in an account that has been kept safe from the contant roving prying eyes of liberal-biased media in America.
Now, I need to transfer the money to a special account in the Cayman Islands, but need an unrelated person that will not arouse suspicion. If you would like to help me, then for your services, you will be entitled to 15% of the amount, plus 5% to cover expenses, including airfare and accomodations...
"Provided by the management for your protection."
"It is not sufficient to just respond to attacks, but rather proactive measures must also be implemented to reduce vulnerabilities and prevent future attacks."
Let's launch a preemptive cyberstrike against a small country, preferably in the middle east, which is not a threat to us, and which is unable to fight back! That will surely stop CYBERTERROR!
I suspect that the parent was referring to the email potentially being spoofed, which may be considered ironic if the Security advisor appears to have resigned because of a security breach.
It would be even FUNNIER if the resignation was a forgery - but then he had to resign over it, making it a self-fulfilling forgery. B-)
Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way