Harry Coker confirmed to be the next National Cyber Director | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"The former National Security Agency executive director will oversee federal cyber policy as the first Senate-confirmed NCD in 10 months.\"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/harry-coker-national-cyber-director-confirmed\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Harry Coker confirmed to be the next National Cyber Director\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The former National Security Agency executive director will oversee federal cyber policy as the first Senate-confirmed NCD in 10 months.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/harry-coker-national-cyber-director-confirmed\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-12-12T20:12:11+00:00\"> <meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-12-12T20:12:12+00:00\"> <meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/harry-coker-confirmed-to-be-the-next-national-cyber-director-2.jpg\"> <meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\"> <meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1280\"> <meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\"> <meta name=\"author\" content=\"Christian Vasquez\"> <meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\"> <meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@chrismvasq\">  <link rel=\"dns-prefetch\" href=\"\/\/securepubads.g.doubleclick.net\">\n<link rel=\"dns-prefetch\" href=\"\/\/use.typekit.net\">\n<link rel=\"alternate\" type=\"application\/rss+xml\" title=\"CyberScoop \u00bb Feed\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/feed\/\">\n<link rel=\"alternate\" type=\"application\/rss+xml\" title=\"CyberScoop \u00bb Comments Feed\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/comments\/feed\/\"> <link 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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=\"25.229129662522\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"29.392712550607\">\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> The former National Security Agency executive director will oversee federal cyber policy as the first Senate-confirmed NCD in 10 months. <\/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\/12\/harry-coker-confirmed-to-be-the-next-national-cyber-director.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\/12\/harry-coker-confirmed-to-be-the-next-national-cyber-director-2.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/harry-coker-confirmed-to-be-the-next-national-cyber-director-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/harry-coker-confirmed-to-be-the-next-national-cyber-director-2.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, 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https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/harry-coker-confirmed-to-be-the-next-national-cyber-director-2.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\"><figcaption> Harry Coker Jr., President Joe Biden’s nominee to be the next National Cyber Director, testifies during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on November 02, 2023 in Washington, DC. (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=\"28.642086330935\"><body readability=\"58.626595030222\"><\/p>\n<p>Harry Coker is the nation\u2019s newest national cyber director, following a Senate confirmation vote Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>Coker will soon take on the role as the next \u201ccoach\u201d to oversee and coordinate cybersecurity policy across the federal government. The Senate passed his nomination by a 59-40 vote. Coker, most recently the executive director at the National Security Agency, continues the trend of NSA alums serving as the nation\u2019s top cybersecurity official.<\/p>\n<p>The Office of the National Cyber Director has gone without a Senate-confirmed director for 10 months following the resignation of the inaugural director Chris Inglis in late February. Kemba Walden took the mantle as acting director until November, when <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/drenan-dudley-acting-national-cyber-director\/\">Drenan Dudley assumed the role<\/a> during the transition.<\/p>\n<p>Coker spent 17 years at the CIA in various leadership positions, including the directorate of digital innovation, directorate of science and technology, and the director\u2019s area, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/mccrary.auburn.edu\/experts\/senior-fellows\/coker-harry\/\">bio at Auburn University\u2019s McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security<\/a>, where he is also a senior fellow.<\/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>During his <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/national-cyber-director-hearing-harry-coker\/\">nomination testimony<\/a>, Coker expressed his appreciation for the existing work ONCD has laid out in its strategy, implementation plan and national cyber workforce and education strategy. Coker told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that he would, \u201cfrankly, continue the good work that ONCD has done with its partners.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That work includes a long to-do list for Coker right off the bat. The ONCD released an <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/national-cybersecurity-strategy-implementation-plan-2\/\">implementation guide<\/a> that serves as the North star for U.S. cybersecurity policy and includes more than 65 initiatives to carry out the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/National-Cybersecurity-Strategy-2023.pdf\">national cybersecurity strategy<\/a>. The breadth of topics covers everything from critical infrastructure regulations to cyber diplomacy to workforce issues, and is considered a \u201cliving document\u201d that is <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/national-cybersecurity-strategy-chris-derusha\/\">expected to be updated<\/a> next year.<\/p>\n<p>Coker is also stepping into a crowded ring amid <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2023-04-03\/joe-biden-s-cybersecurity-dream-team-roiled-as-chris-inglis-resigns\">reports of friction<\/a> among the top echelon of cybersecurity officials. Inglis reportedly left the office shortly before the national cyber strategy was released due to the tense relationship and seemingly overlapping authorities with Anne Neuberger, the deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, who has has the more direct line to the Oval Office, and Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which is more of an operational role.<\/p>\n<p>The NCD position was first recommended by the congressionally mandated Cyberspace Solarium Commission to lead the nation\u2019s cybersecurity policy as cybersecurity crosses multiple domains and agencies. <\/p>\n<p>While Coker did receive <a href=\"https:\/\/gallagher.house.gov\/media\/press-releases\/cyberspace-solarium-co-chairs-welcome-cokers-nomination-national-cyber\">approval from cyber-focused lawmakers<\/a>, Walden was thought by many to be the natural replacement for Inglis. However, the administration decided not to nominate Walden because of her personal debt, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2023\/07\/15\/kemba-walden-nomination-cyber-director\/\">according to reports<\/a> from the Washington Post, a motive that many experts doubted. <\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"1.4173669467787\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"9\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/harry-coker-confirmed-to-be-the-next-national-cyber-director-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Christian Vasquez\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Christian Vasquez<\/h4>\n<p> Christian covers industrial cybersecurity for CyberScoop News. He previously wrote for E&E News at POLITICO covering cybersecurity in the energy sector. Reach out: christian.vasquez at cyberscoop dot com <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div class=\"popular-stories__container\">\n<h2 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{"id":2220,"date":"2023-12-12T20:12:11","date_gmt":"2023-12-12T20:12:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=78513"},"modified":"2023-12-12T20:12:11","modified_gmt":"2023-12-12T20:12:11","slug":"harry-coker-confirmed-to-be-the-next-national-cyber-director","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2023\/12\/12\/harry-coker-confirmed-to-be-the-next-national-cyber-director\/","title":{"rendered":"Harry Coker confirmed to be the next National Cyber Director"},"content":{"rendered":"