Memo to new U.S. cybersecurity chief: Think Internet

Former Booz Allen Hamilton consultant (and ex-president George W. Bush staffer) Melissa Hathaway will be appointed to head the U.S. cybersecurity efforts, according to a posting by The Wall Street Journal.

Cybersecurity, especially at the national level, may hold the distinction of being the topic that has received the most discussion, studies and handwringing with the least amount of action. In the past couple of years, the U.S. has churned through cybersecurity czars at a rapid pace to the point where the past administration started appointing cybersecurity chiefs with no cybersecurity experience. 

I'm guessing Melissa Hathaway will start her new job with a review, a study and possibly a decision to try to bring all cybersecurity efforts under one big directive. My humble suggestion is don't do that. Instead of Remember the Maine! or Remember Pearl Harbor, I'd suggest remember the Internet is a good starting point. The Internet was designed to be dispersed, simple in design and capable of maintaining communication after something as unthinkable as a nuclear attack. 

Instead of a monolithic system of processes and procedures designed to try to lock down everything, think of something that has security level attributes geared towards what you are trying to secure: don't worry too much about PDFs of unused regulations, worry a lot about nuclear missle codes. Think of a security culture where individual security chiefs are empowered to use their judgement to make the best choices for their system. A multiproduct system is a lot harder to hack than a big monoculture where one key opens all doors. 

Oh yeah, and consider opening the door again for Richard Clarke. He could save you a lot of time in making the right U.S. security decisions if you don't mind having a little tough talk in the process.