Cyber Strategies and Successes: A Conversation with National Cyber Director Harry Coker, Jr.
Jan 7, 2025
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Harry Coker, Jr. serves as the National Cyber Director, the president's key advisor on cybersecurity. He discusses the development of a national cybersecurity strategy and its execution against rising threats from adversaries like China and Russia. Coker highlights the importance of federal resource alignment, enhancing public-private partnerships, and building a skilled cybersecurity workforce. He also emphasizes the critical need for trust within federal leadership to improve operational efficiency and strengthen the nation's cyber resilience.
The Office of the National Cyber Director enhances national cybersecurity by developing strategies that prioritize proactive measures over reactive responses to incidents.
Significant progress in cybersecurity intelligence sharing has resulted from ONCD's collaboration with various agencies to enhance defense against nation-state threats.
Addressing the skilled workforce shortage, the ONCD promotes diverse recruitment strategies to fill nearly 500,000 cybersecurity vacancies across the nation.
Deep dives
Establishment and Role of the National Cyber Director
The Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) was established by Congress to act as the President's senior advisor on cybersecurity, focusing on national strategies to combat cyber threats. The initiative arose from findings by the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, which advocated for strong leadership in the face of increasing cyber vulnerabilities. In its formative years, the ONCD has been instrumental in reshaping the national cybersecurity strategy and implementing various policy solutions centered around resilience and defense. The office collaborates with OMB to align federal resources effectively, enhancing the government's capacity to tackle the growing dangers posed by malicious cyber actors.
Transitioning to Proactive Cybersecurity Measures
The ONCD has shifted the focus from reactive to proactive cybersecurity strategies, moving beyond simply responding to incidents like the SolarWinds hack. A more structured approach involves establishing 'cyber building codes' that define robust cybersecurity practices for organizations to follow. By prioritizing preventive measures, the ONCD aims to enhance national resilience against future vulnerabilities while also addressing pressing challenges such as the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack. This transitional strategy reflects a commitment to not only fighting existing fires but also preventing potential threats through structured governance and collaboration.
Enhancing Information Sharing and International Collaboration
Cybersecurity intelligence sharing has intensified in the wake of emerging threats, particularly in relating to nation-state actors. The ONCD, through partnerships with the Department of Justice and CISA, has been pivotal in organizing frameworks for disseminating crucial intelligence regarding cyber threats to enhance communal defense. Operations against ransomware groups demonstrate the effectiveness of international cooperation, with multiple nations joining U.S.-led counter-ransomware initiatives. This collaborative effort aims to secure infrastructure and educate organizations on preventative measures, ensuring that collectively, adversaries face increasingly daunting defenses.
Building Cyber Talent and Workforce Development
The shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals poses a significant challenge, with nearly 500,000 vacancies across the nation. The ONCD has initiated the first comprehensive strategy aimed at workforce development, focusing on diverse recruitment efforts, including outreach to community colleges and historically black colleges. By promoting skills-based hiring over traditional four-year degree requirements, the strategy seeks to create more pathways into cyber-related careers. Partnerships among employers, educational institutions, and government entities are expected to fill workforce gaps while enhancing overall cybersecurity readiness.
Strengthening Support for State and Local Governments
Support for state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments has become increasingly vital as these entities often represent weak spots in national cybersecurity. The ONCD recognizes that SLTTs protect critical infrastructures like schools and hospitals, making them prime targets for cyber threats. Through leveraging federal resources and providing guidance, the ONCD aims to bolster their defense mechanisms against potential attacks. Initiatives such as the Virtual CISO program intend to furnish these governments with necessary expertise and resources to enhance their cybersecurity posture in a cost-effective manner.
Four years ago, Congress created the Office of the National Cyber Director to serve as the president’s senior advisor on cybersecurity, implementing national strategy, supporting whole-of-nation cyber resilience, and working with the Office of Management and Budget to align federal resourcing to growing cyber threats from criminals and nation states including China, Russia, and Iran. The office led the charge developing a new national cybersecurity strategy and executed dozens of technical, governance, workforce, and policy solutions to implement the strategy. Has this implementation bolstered national cyber resilience? Has the government developed a whole-of-nation response to cyber incidents? Are federal resources aligned to thwart and deter U.S. adversaries in cyberspace?
FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation hosts remarks and a fireside chat with National Cyber Director Harry Coker, Jr. on the role of the Office of the National Cyber Director, its past successes, and lessons learned for the future. The conversation will be moderated by RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, CCTI senior director and former executive director of the congressionally mandated Cyberspace Solarium Commission.
