An Interview With Cybersecurity Czar Howard Schmidt 41
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."
Meet the new boss... (Score:3, Insightful)
...the same as the old boss.
Re:Bush Admin fails IT! (Score:4, 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.
Nice Internet you have. Pity if it should break. (Score:4, Insightful)
Every time I hear the term "Czar", I think Russian mobster with protection racket. Is it just me?
Re:Bush Admin fails IT! (Score:3, 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.
Re:Bush Admin fails IT! (Score:3, 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.