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An Interview With Cybersecurity Czar Howard Schmidt

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the like-sanitation-director-only-you-do-less dept.

Trailrunner7 writes to tell us that US cybersecurity czar Howard Schmidt recently gave an interview where he discusses his career and what he sees as the priorities of the positions. "Howard Schmidt has been involved in just about every aspect of the security industry during his career. After stints in the Air Force and at Microsoft, he served as a cybersecurity advisor to George W. Bush. Now, after heading back to the private sector for several years, he's been appointed to serve as President Obama's security advisor."

12 of 41 comments (clear)

  1. Meet the new boss... by Third+Position · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ...the same as the old boss.

    --
    American Third Position
    Finally, a real choice!
    1. Re:Meet the new boss... by LostCluster · · Score: 2, Funny

      Checking the Washington TerrorBall League scores, Cyberspace Security went undefeated during the Bush administration so it's logical that this guy didn't get cut from the team. Bush had an overall losing record, even as today's teabaggers are still protesting the scores, but that's why he had to go.

  2. Bush Admin fails IT! by LostCluster · · Score: 2, Informative

    As covered by Slashdot last week, a team of Bush-era staffers simulating a White House situation room responding to a "March Madness" trojan app attack was broadcast repeatedly by CNN over the weekend. That simulated attack turned smartphones into a botnet, then started attacking the Internet, and then with communications down it was easy for a few explosions to knock out power to the East Coast. The team failed... they took too long arguing over what they couldn't do instead of doing what they could. For example, telling people to shut off smartphones was met with theories into how they could require smartphones to go offline.. and that was just a waster of clock time because there's no law providing for that.

    The government needs the help of geeks, but the problem is anybody who gets into government wants to give themselves too much power, and that turns out ruining them.

    1. Re:Bush Admin fails IT! by Opportunist · · Score: 3, Insightful

      There's no law for that. Uh... how about, dunno, something old fashioned? Like, asking nicely? I know, it's an alien concept of an entity that's used to simply ordering what it wants from its subjects, but, ya know, it just might work. People like their country in general and are willing to make a few noncritical sacrifices (I know, another alien concept to politicians) if it helps their country.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    2. Re:Bush Admin fails IT! by zero0ne · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I may have said it in the other thread, but maybe not...

      If smart phones were turned into a botnet and they started attacking the internet, I am pretty sure AT&T / Verizon / ETC could AND WOULD stop this ASAP.

      every minute their network is congested / down / attacking other parts of its company means lost revenue to them...

      For this specific attack it makes sense that these companies would either know about this before the Gov't does, or at least be willing to listen to the gov't in this situation.

       

    3. Re:Bush Admin fails IT! by aztracker1 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      They could politely *ask* the cellular companies to temporarily disable the data services at the towers, leaving voice enabled. That would probably be more effective in the end... simply text all the phones a notification that data services would be down for between X and Y hours.

      --
      Michael J. Ryan - tracker1.info
    4. Re:Bush Admin fails IT! by mewsenews · · Score: 2, Funny

      There's no law for that. Uh... how about, dunno, something old fashioned? Like, asking nicely?

      Who let this Canadian into the situation room?

    5. Re:Bush Admin fails IT! by Opportunist · · Score: 2, Insightful

      That's common curtsey. A dated thing, nobody really cares about that. And nobody really sees the requirement for it.

      In this case, you're asking people to do something that is critical for the safety of the nation. Now, I don't know if the general "national pride" of the US has been deteriorated fully in the past 5 years since I was in the country last time, so that people would deliberately ignore such requests (if they do, you'd get to see that you have a LOT more problems at hand than a handful of funky terrorists trying to blow up a building or two) when asked to do something minor for the safety of the nation. Also, don't forget that this request would be temporary, for a few hours, maybe a day. Not something installed and to be heeded for (presumably) the rest of the year or the rest of your life.

      Also, unless I read something very wrong here, this was a test alert. Great opportunity to test the "readiness" of the nation in total as well. Are people willing to heed an order (or a request) by the president for national safety? If not, you have way bigger problems at your hands than some trojan taking out da intarwebs.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    6. Re:Bush Admin fails IT! by mog007 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      When did this "czar" shit even start? Was it the drug czar position that was made back in the 80s? This is the fucking United States, not pre-Lenin Russia. We do not have czars; we're a fucking republic.

      --
      Learn something new.
  3. Brilliant and Frightening by mpapet · · Score: 4, Informative

    Now some of the universities that I teach at, such as Georgia Tech and Idaho State University, our Scholarship for Service programs, as soon as they get done, they’re going in government, fairly high-level positions as security experts.

    The wisdom of this is simultaneously frightening and brilliant.

    “Hey, I’m seeing this really anonymous activity on this particular port. Are you guys seeing that?” “Yeah, we are.” Well, that solves problems and that’s what this is all about.

    Mission accomplished! (In a GWB ironical reference kind of way)

    and many people don’t realize that there is not the one power company that looks after the entire country.

    This guy can sell ice to eskimos!

    No wonder I have grave concerns regarding the future of my country.

    --
    http://www.maxineudall.com/2010/02/should-economists-be-sued-for-malpractice.html
  4. Nice Internet you have. Pity if it should break. by syousef · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Every time I hear the term "Czar", I think Russian mobster with protection racket. Is it just me?

    --
    These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
  5. Re:and yet with all his personal success by geekmux · · Score: 2, Informative

    The US is still completely at the mercy of our adversaries when it comes to internet security.

    Funny thing about Security positions. You do them "good enough", you continue to have a job. You do them to an Outstanding level, you can work yourself right out of a job.