On Wednesday, Secretary Michael


Chertoff announced a six-point agenda for the Department of Homeland

Security designed “to ensure that the Department’s policies, operations,

and structures are aligned in the best way to address the potential threats –

both present and future – that face our nation,” according a department press


release.

DHS will release details of Chertoff’s new agenda in the

coming weeks and months, but several outlined several changes in Wednesday’s

press release. Among these changes is the creation of a new Assistant Secretary

for Cyber Security and Telecommunications. This person will be responsible for “identifying

and assessing the vulnerability of critical telecommunications infrastructure

and assets; providing timely, actionable and valuable threat information; and

leading the national response to cyber and telecommunications attacks,”

according to DHS.

The new Assistant Secretary position is a much needed boost

to the formerly director-level post. Hopefully DHS will have more luck keeping

the new position filled, as the department went through a string of directors

for the National Cyber Security Division, including Richard Clarke, Howard

Schmidt, Amit Yoran and Robert Liscouski.