Coker tells Senate committee that he\u2019d follow ONCD\u2019s current path if confirmed to top cyber position | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"Former NSA executive director says that as national cyber director, he would \u201ccontinue the good work ONCD has done with its partners.\u201d\"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/national-cyber-director-hearing-harry-coker\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Coker tells Senate committee that he\u2019d follow ONCD\u2019s current path if confirmed to top cyber position\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Former NSA executive director says that as national cyber director, he would \u201ccontinue the good work ONCD has done with its partners.\u201d\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/national-cyber-director-hearing-harry-coker\/\"> <meta 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readability=\"0.82\"> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"25.624528301887\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"30.856164383562\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/news\/government\/\"> <span>Government<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> Former NSA executive director says that as national cyber director, he would \u201ccontinue the good work ONCD has done with its partners.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/coker-tells-senate-committee-that-hed-follow-oncds-current-path-if-confirmed-to-top-cyber-position.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/coker-tells-senate-committee-that-hed-follow-oncds-current-path-if-confirmed-to-top-cyber-position-1.jpg 5327w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/coker-tells-senate-committee-that-hed-follow-oncds-current-path-if-confirmed-to-top-cyber-position-1.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/coker-tells-senate-committee-that-hed-follow-oncds-current-path-if-confirmed-to-top-cyber-position-1.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/coker-tells-senate-committee-that-hed-follow-oncds-current-path-if-confirmed-to-top-cyber-position-1.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/coker-tells-senate-committee-that-hed-follow-oncds-current-path-if-confirmed-to-top-cyber-position-1.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/coker-tells-senate-committee-that-hed-follow-oncds-current-path-if-confirmed-to-top-cyber-position-1.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/coker-tells-senate-committee-that-hed-follow-oncds-current-path-if-confirmed-to-top-cyber-position-1.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/coker-tells-senate-committee-that-hed-follow-oncds-current-path-if-confirmed-to-top-cyber-position-1.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/coker-tells-senate-committee-that-hed-follow-oncds-current-path-if-confirmed-to-top-cyber-position-1.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/coker-tells-senate-committee-that-hed-follow-oncds-current-path-if-confirmed-to-top-cyber-position-1.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/coker-tells-senate-committee-that-hed-follow-oncds-current-path-if-confirmed-to-top-cyber-position-1.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\"><figcaption> Harry Coker testifies during his confirmation hearing to become the national cyber director before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Nov. 2, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch\/Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"53.304104878573\"><body readability=\"109.54037267081\"><\/p>\n<p>Former National Security Agency Executive Director Harry Coker told members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that if he\u2019s confirmed as the next national cyber director, he\u2019d largely continue along the same path as his predecessors.<\/p>\n<p>Coker, who also spent 17 years at the Central Intelligence Agency and had made few public appearances before Thursday\u2019s hearing, expressed appreciation for previous Office of the National Cyber Director work, including the National Cybersecurity Strategy, the subsequent implementation plan and the National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf confirmed, I would frankly continue the good work that ONCD has done with its partners,\u201d Coker said. He noted in his opening statement he\u2019s \u201cseen the need for stronger partnerships and collaboration between the public and private sectors\u201d and that collaboration would be \u201cthe north star\u201d under his leadership.<\/p>\n<p>The congressionally mandated Cyberspace Solarium Commission initially urged the creation of a national cyber director, and the office was made into law through the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act during the Trump administration.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The creation of the office was aimed at creating a position to lead national coordination for U.S. cyber policy, or as Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, put it, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/chris-inglis-national-cyber-director-strategic-intent-statement\/\">one throat to choke<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>ONCD has pushed out major whole-of-government efforts to reshape foundational aspects of U.S. cyber policy through the release of those strategies. Coker, if confirmed, would take on the <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/national-cybersecurity-strategy-implementation-plan-2\/\">implementation of those strategies<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Kemba Walden, who took on the acting director role following the departure of former National Cyber Director Chris Inglis a few weeks before the issuing of the National Cybersecurity Strategy, was the favored permanent pick of many lawmakers and experts. But the White House did not consider Walden because of personal debts, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2023\/07\/15\/kemba-walden-nomination-cyber-director\/\">Washington Post reported<\/a>, an argument that drew harsh outcry as an unreasonable concern given her record and the fact that having debt is normal among those not born into a higher economic class.<\/p>\n<p>Coker, meanwhile, praised both Inglis and Walden for their work. Asked how he planned to tackle the nation\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/cyber-workforce-demand-supply-survey\/\">cyber workforce issues<\/a>, Coker said he would follow their lead with a strategy that tackles the \u201cwhole of nation\u201d issue \u201chead on.\u201d \u201cIt gets the right involvement with the private sector but also with another key partner, the state, local, tribal and territorial governments,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Coker also noted that addressing any workforce issues has to move beyond targeting only students interested in science, technology, engineering and math.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cWe need to change the way we look at vacancy notices [and] job questionnaires. In cyber, it should not be a requirement for everyone to have a four-year degree,\u201d Coker said. \u201cYou can get that cyber education without going through a four-year college.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On the matter of defending critical infrastructure, Coker highlighted the need to \u201crebalance responsibility\u201d to more capable defenders called out in the National Cybersecurity Strategy, pointing specifically to sectors that have little resources to defend themselves against cyberattacks, such as hospitals.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat major shift would take some of that responsibility, in this case, away from hospitals and shift it up to those that are more capable,\u201d he said. \u201cFor example, our partners across the federal government have specific threat information that they would share [with the] hospital and other entities if it\u2019s credible and timely.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Coker continued: \u201cPart of ONCD\u2019s responsibilities, as I see it, is to make sure that those that are less capable are more aware of the threats and capabilities that they can take advantage of.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When asked by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., about how he views ONCD\u2019s role in the 2024 election, Coker said that his \u201cconcern is that state and local governments need all the support that they need to be able to execute their respective elections in a safe and accurate and confident way.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cThe role that ONCD and frankly [the] federal government, by and large, would have would be a supporting role to the state, local, tribal and territorial governments with regards to how they run their elections,\u201d Coker said. \u201cIf confirmed, from an ONCD perspective, I would ensure that those [governmental bodies] are aware of the resources that are available to them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\">\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This 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{"id":1974,"date":"2023-11-02T19:47:30","date_gmt":"2023-11-02T19:47:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=77898"},"modified":"2023-11-02T19:47:30","modified_gmt":"2023-11-02T19:47:30","slug":"coker-tells-senate-committee-that-hed-follow-oncds-current-path-if-confirmed-to-top-cyber-position","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2023\/11\/02\/coker-tells-senate-committee-that-hed-follow-oncds-current-path-if-confirmed-to-top-cyber-position\/","title":{"rendered":"Coker tells Senate committee that he\u2019d follow ONCD\u2019s current path if confirmed to top cyber position"},"content":{"rendered":"