On December 12, the US Senate approved Mr. Harry Coker Jr. as Director of National Cybersecurity, responsible for advising President Joe Biden on cybersecurity policy and strategy, replacing Mr. Chris Inglis who resigned in February this year.
According to a Washington correspondent, Mr. Coker's appointment comes as the United States faces increasing cybersecurity threats, including next year's presidential election. Under President Biden's administration, the United States has dealt with several major cyberattacks on federal agencies, including the State Department and the Department of Commerce.
Mr. Coker has spent four decades in the US government. He began his career as a naval officer and held key positions such as director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and director of the National Security Agency (NSA). Speaking to senators at the hearing, Mr. Coker affirmed that his office has a “support role” for local and state governments in protecting elections.
Following a massive cyberattack on government systems known as Solarburst, the US has decided to create a National Cybersecurity Director position within the framework of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act - the annual budget bill for the US military.
According to VNA