Security Advisor
U.S. Cyber Czar Steps Down
After hearing this news I did a quick Google search and, yup, there really exists a cyber czar position in the government.
And it was occupied by former Microsoft CSO and co-founder of the Trustworthy Computing Group Howard Schmidt. He accepted the title under the Obama administration in 2009 after serving in a somewhat similar role (but different title) for President Bush.
His biggest contribution included the adoption of the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace, which set the framework for private companies to verify identities of customers online. Also, recently he has been vocally critical to the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA), and is believed to be instrumental on the White House's decision not to support the act.
"It has been a tremendous honor for me to have served in this role and to have worked with such dedicated and professional colleagues both in the government and private sector," Schmidt said in a statement. "We have made real progress in our efforts to better deal with the risks in cyberspace so, around the world, we can all realize the full benefits that cyberspace brings us."
Schmidt is succeeded by Michael Daniel, who has worked in the Office of Management and Budget's national security division for over 15 years.