CYBER CZAR INCOMING
The House version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed Tuesday included a provision establishing a national cyber director at the White House, a role that would help coordinate federal cybersecurity efforts.
Bipartisan legislation establishing this position was originally introduced last month, and was added to the NDAA as part of a larger cybersecurity package on Monday. The national cyber director would serve as the president’s principal advisor on cybersecurity and emerging technology issues, and serve as a coordinating force for federal cyber action.
The national cyber director would replace the previous White House cybersecurity coordinator role, which was eliminated by former national security advisor John Bolton in 2018 in an effort to decrease bureaucracy.
Bipartisan support for reestablishing the position with further authorities has increased in recent months as cyberattacks targeted as hospitals, COVID-19 research, and other sectors have skyrocketed.
The House passed the overall 2021 NDAA by a vote of 295-125 Tuesday afternoon.
The Senate has not yet voted on its version of the NDAA, but the version that cleared the Senate Armed Services Committee included a clause requiring an “assessment” of the “feasibility” of establishing the position, throwing into question whether the position will be established.
The measure creating the provision was included in the NDAA as part of a slate of legislation designed to boost federal cybersecurity. Many of the measures included were based on recommendations from the Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC), a group established by Congress to recommend ways to defend the United States in cyberspace.
