A conversation with White House cybersecurity czar Michael Daniel

Does the US lack cybersecurity manpower? Even if it adds thousands of security pros, can Washington stay ahead of the hackers? And how can the federal government compete for top talent with the likes of Facebook, Google, and Twitter?

Michael Daniel has been on a recruitment drive since becoming White House Cybersecurity Coordinator more than two years ago. He’s been on the hunt for more skilled security pros to join the government’s fight against criminal hackers, as well as championing the cause for an all-around more digitally vigilant workforce.

On Thursday, Daniel will sit down with the Christian Science Monitor to talk about his progress in building a more security-centric labor pool, the need to encourage more young people to pursue cybersecurity careers, and how the government can possibly compete with the private sector when it comes to recruiting the brightest students and most skilled white hat hackers.

The Thursday event -- “Building a Cybersecurity Roadmap: Developing America’s Edge” -- will be hosted by the Monitor and The Center for National Policy.

A live Web stream will appear on this page. Check back here Thursday, Oct. 9, at 9:30. If you want to participate in the event but can't be there in person, please tweet any suggested questions to @csmpasscode.

Along with Daniel, the Monitor and The Center for National Policy will host what promises to be an important and lively discussion that includes Jeff Moss, founder of the Black Hat and DEF CON tech conferences, Peter Singer, cybersecurity expert at the New America Foundation, Frank Cilluffo, co-director of George Washington University’s Cyber Center for National and Economic Security, and Vern Boyle, technical director for Northrop Grumman, which is sponsoring the event.

Workforce development will be just one part of the conversation. These leading security thinkers will also look at what else Washington and the private sector need to accomplish to stay ahead on the security front, whether the feds can move fast enough to outwit hackers, and what trends keep security experts and chief information security officers awake at night.

The Monitor will also be discussing the upcoming launch of Passcode, a new section devoted to covering all things security and privacy. That site will launch in the coming months and feature reporting from a group of award winning journalists. Sign up for updates at www.CSMPasscode.com

“Cybersecurity is a subject that is exploding into every aspect of life,” says Monitor Editor Marshall Ingwerson. “We've assembled a team that can delivery clarity, context, and relevance to the audiences that need to understand and make decisions on this topic.”

The program:
9:45 a.m.: Changing the Paradigm: Disposable Cyber Systems
Vern Boyle, Director of Technology, Cyber Solutions Division, Northrop Grumman
10:05 a.m.: Keynote Address & Moderated Q&A
Michael Daniel, Special Assistant to the President, Cybersecurity Coordinator.
10:50 a.m.: Exploration on cybersecurity workforce, education and more
Moderated by Mike Farrell, CS Monitor Cybersecurity Editor
• Jeff Moss, Founder, Black Hat and DEF CON Co-Chair, DHS Cybersecurity Task Force
• Peter Singer, Senior Fellow, New America Foundation
• Frank Cilluffo, Director, Homeland Security Policy Institute, George Washington University
• Scott Bates, president, Center for National Policy