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Microsoft Executive Tapped For Top DHS Cyber Post

krebsatwpost writes "The Department of Homeland Security has named Microsoft's 'chief trustworthy infrastructure strategist' Phil Reitinger to be its top cyber security official. Many in the security industry praised him as a smart pick, but said he will need to confront a culture of political infighting and leadership failures at DHS. From the story: 'Reitinger comes to the position with cyber experience in both the public and private sectors. Prior to joining Microsoft in 2003, he was executive director of the Defense Department's Computer Forensics Lab. Before that, he was deputy chief of the Justice Department's Computer Crimes and Intellectual Property section, where he worked under Scott Charney, who is currently corporate vice president for trustworthy computing at Microsoft.'"

14 of 138 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Microsoft and Security in the same sentence? by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 1, Insightful

    What do you mean, "you people"?

  2. que 500 stupid M$ sux0rs posts by timmarhy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    this guy doesn't seem a half way bad pick. of course if it was my call i'd eliminate the whole DHS nonense and just fund the FBI,NSA,CIA and police properly. if those 4 agencies can't get it done wtf is the DHS going to add?

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    1. Re:que 500 stupid M$ sux0rs posts by Renraku · · Score: 4, Insightful

      If we could achieve with nuclear fusion what we have achieved with DHS, we'd all be living off of cheap and reliable energy.

      Suffice to say, the DHS is rather self-sustaining. If it isn't keeping liquids off aircraft or your electronics in the baggage handlers' pockets, its harassing and keeping us American citizens in fear.

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    2. Re:que 500 stupid M$ sux0rs posts by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 2, Insightful

      And you honestly think that is a good thing? How old are you, anyway?

  3. Good Grid! by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Isn't that like asking the head of AIG to be the officer of "financial responsibility"???

  4. I'd like to be objective about this. Let's try. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I like how this guy, whom I don't know much about, is painted a smart pick, coming as he does from the largest single computer security threat on the planet. Anybody recall that up to not very long ago at all security was not on their agenda? Simply because it made them more money not to care.

    Oh, and that is remebering their own words and without mentioning the usual, such as that they are convicted monopolists too, their business practices suck, their code sucks, their customer service and sales techniques reminisces that of office depot, and so on and so forth.

    The bottom line is that in politics you usually don't let the guy who fucked it up try and fix it. Unless perhaps the guy has friends in high places.

  5. Re:In all seriousness by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The choice of an executive officer of a major supplier of operating systems -- Windows of all things -- to this position sends a clear message to those who have been involved in "security" issues for many years. And that message is: "We don't care about 'security' except to the extent that it affects our corporate friends."

    I am very saddened by this news.

  6. Expect many new ISO standards .. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I think choosing someone from a company that is STILL under DoJ supervision for questionable behaviour has a couple of unwanted implications, especially since this guy was at board level.

    It's only good news for foreign industrial espionage and botnet herders..

  7. Re:In all seriousness by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Why? If you do not already know, then you aren't qualified to be in this discussion.

  8. If Obama were serious about his duty by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 4, Insightful

    then he would be hiring Bruce Schneier for this job. I know he is disliked by a lot of industry but he is the man with the facts and the plan.

  9. Re:Microsoft and Security in the same sentence? by Lumpy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why do you people think that the next new guy will be any different than the last one? I don't care WHO is elected. If they are Democrat or Republican, they will cater to their interests first and do the right thing last.

    MSFT funded a lot of his campaign. This is paying them back by appointing one of their executives, or they use their buddies.
    This happens every change of power.

    I just get a royal kick out of all the "WOO CHANGE!" people all sitting in their chairs sober now with their mouth open at the TV sets staring in disbelief.

    The only advantage is that this time our president is actually educated and articulate.

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  10. Re:Microsoft and Security in the same sentence? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The only advantage is that this time our president gives great speeches from a teleprompter.

    There... fixed that for you.

  11. Re:There May Be An Upside by maxume · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Things that you occasionally compromise are generally called preferences.

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  12. Alas no by Mateo_LeFou · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The term might not be used as often, but the concept is alive and well

    "the new chips will 'block unauthorized access to the frame buffer.' ...

    There is a short list of parties who will be unauthorized to access your frame buffer: You. There is a long list of parties who are authorized to access your frame buffer, and that list includes Microsoft, Apple, AMD, Intel, ATI, NVidia, Sony Pictures, Paramount, HBO, CBS, Macrovision, and all other content owners and enablers that want your machine to themselves whenever youâ(TM)re watching, listening to, reading, or shooting monsters with their products. "

    http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/03/28/14OPcurve_1.html

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