White House cyber director confirmed in Senate

pppThe Senate on Tuesday confirmed Harry Coker to be the countrys next cybersecurity czar installing the former NSA official as President Joe Bidens top cyber adviser at a time when the administration is working to revamp the nations digital postureppAs the new head of the Office of the National Cyber Director Coker will coordinate federal agencies patchwork efforts on cybersecurity issues and oversee the execution of the National Cybersecurity Strategy and the National Cyber Workforce and Education StrategyppThe Senate confirmed Coker on a 5940 vote weeks after the Homeland Security Committee unanimously approved his nomination He previously served as NSA executive director and spent 17 years at the Central Intelligence AgencyppHarry Coker is an accomplished leader and a dedicated public servant who is well qualified to lead this important office Homeland Security Chairman Gary Peters DMI said earlier today during a brief speech on the chamber floorppAs the second Senateconfirmed leader of the cyber office Coker takes the reins of an organization that has been rocked by leadership upheaval and highprofile departuresppThe offices first chief Chris Inglis another former NSA official stepped down from the role after overseeing the creation of the National Cyber Strategy which laid out a roadmap for toughening US digital defenses following years of massive hacks and ransomware incidentsppHis deputy Kemba Walden was the oddson favorite to replace him but was eventually told by the White House she wouldnt be formally nominated for the post It was later reported Waldens personal debts were one of the reasons why she wasnt chosen an explanation lawmakers and experts scoffed atppWalden who served as assistant general counsel in Microsofts digital crimes unit and was one of the first hires at ONCD left the organization last month Another temporary chief has been in place sinceppONCD was one of several policy reforms suggested by the congressionally chartered Cyberspace Solarium Commission and it was incorporated into the fiscal 2021 defense policy bill Policymakers envisioned it as comparable to the Office of the US Trade Representative in terms of elevating the importance of cyber issues within the White HouseppIn his confirmation hearing Coker lauded the offices past work saying the national strategy gets the right involvement with the private sector but also with another key partner the state local tribal and territorial governmentsppHe vowed to focus on the roadmaps implementation plan as well as its overall goals He noted there are nearly 70 initiatives across 18 federal entities that must be coordinated for the strategy to deliverppCoker said he viewed the role of National Cyber Director as ensuring that the private sector knows there is a true partnership and that their knowledge their capabilities and their risks are appreciated and supportedppHe addressed the evergreen concerns that many in the private sector have expressed about partnering with the federal government on digital issuesppNational security especially cybersecurity requires partnerships across the public sector and the private sector Coker told lawmakers Although Ive been in situations where that partnership wasnt a true partnership where it was more one way Give me what you got Tell me what you know and Ill see you laterppMartin Matishak is the senior cybersecurity reporter for The Record Prior to joining Recorded Future News in 2021 he spent more than five years at Politico where he covered digital and national security developments across Capitol Hill the Pentagon and the US intelligence community He previously was a reporter at The Hill National Journal Group and Inside Washington Publisherspp Copyright 2023 The Record from Recorded Future Newsp