You Should Be “Significantly Concerned” There’s No White House Cyber Coordinator, Policy Experts Say

A majority of about 25 cybersecurity policy leaders, gathered by the Atlantic Council think tank, say that Americans should be “significantly concerned” about National Security Adviser John Bolton’s decision to eliminate the position of White House cybersecurity coordinator. Experts believe the job, which encompasses government cyber protections, international cyber negotiations, and broad U.S. cyber policy, is too complex to be subsumed into broader White House operations.

The cyber coordinator role was created in the first year of the Obama administration. Cyber coordinators have played key roles in responding to major cyber events, including the 2014 Sony hack, the 2015 Office of Personnel Management breach, and Russian digital meddling in the 2016 election.