06.22.14
Computer Security for the 1 Percent
Pointed out by Bill Blunden, author of Behold a Pale Farce, a much recommended here book on cyberwar and the national cybersecurity industrial complex, retired NSA director Keith Alexander is cashing in his chips. Most profitably, too, if his consulting price for a month of services at $1 million gets a lot of takers.
As the four-star general in charge of U.S. digital defenses, Keith Alexander warned repeatedly that the financial industry was among the likely targets of a major attack. Now he’s selling the message directly to the banks.
Because that’s where the money is.
Continues Bloomberg:
Alexander, 62, said in the interview he was invited to give a talk to the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, known as Sifma, shortly after leaving the NSA and starting his firm, IronNet Cybersecurity Inc. He has met with other finance groups including the Consumer Bankers Association, the Financial Services Roundtable and The Clearing House.
The ex-NSA chief is leasing office space from Promontory Financial Group LLC, a Washington consultancy that focuses on the banking industry. Eugene Ludwig, Promontory’s founder and chief executive officer, joined Alexander at a meeting with Sifma, Wall Street’s largest lobby group.
Alexander offered to provide advice to Sifma for $1 million a month, according to two people briefed on the talks. The asking price later dropped to $600,000 …
“What I’m concerned about is we’re going to have a 9/11 in cyberspace,??? Alexander told Bloomberg.
Keith Alexander — from the archives.