NSA says it doesn’t want to run cybersecurity

Contrary to a number of media reports, as well as statements by other intelligence officials, Lt. Gen. Keith Alexander, the director of the National Security Agency, said on Tuesday that his agency is not interested in taking charge of the country’s cybersecurity efforts.

Contrary to a number of media reports, as well as statements by other intelligence officials, Lt. Gen. Keith Alexander, the director of the National Security Agency, said on Tuesday that his agency is not interested in taking charge of the country’s cybersecurity efforts.

Speaking at the RSA Conference, Alexander said that running information security inside the government is not the NSA’s job. He said DHS is much better positioned to handle that function than NSA is. From the Wired.com report:

“DHS has a really tough job,” he said. “They’ve got to operate and secure the rest of the .gov networks. That’s really hard work. We don’t want to do that hard work. We want them to do that. We’ll provide them with technical support.”

Read the full report here.

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