Fortinet’s Phil Quade: Biden Admin Must Re-Appoint Nat’l Cybersecurity Executive

Phil Quade, chief information security officer at Fortinet, has said that President-elect Joe Biden must select a cybersecurity head to lead the implementation of policies that would help secure critical infrastructure and the supply chain.

Quade wrote in an op-ed piece published Thursday on CNBC that Biden needs to reestablish the national cybersecurity coordinator position at the National Security Council after the role was discontinued in 2018.

The cyber executive would be responsible for coordinating with the private sector to protect critical industries such as energy, water, transportation and manufacturing, he added.

According to Quade, the executive’s strategy must cover efforts to deploy commercial technologies, drive automation and fortify supply-chain security.

The government also needs to go beyond a traditional cyber deterrence mindset and partner with international allies on developing “cyberspace norms”, he noted.

“We are now at an inflection point, and it’s time for our nation to retool its cybersecurity policy and strategy,” Quade said. “The new administration has the opportunity — a responsibility — to make this a centerpiece of its national security and economic policy.”