Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

KoKo

(84,711 posts)
Sat Oct 18, 2014, 01:34 PM Oct 2014

Senior NSA Official Patrick Dowd is Moonlighting With Keith Alexander's Private Cybersecurity Firm

Corruption INC.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/oct/17/senior-nsa-official-moonlighting-private-cybersecurity-firm

The former director of the National Security Agency has enlisted the US surveillance giant’s current chief technology officer for his lucrative cybersecurity business venture, an unusual arrangement undercutting Keith Alexander’s assurances he will not profit from his connections to the secretive, technologically sophisticated agency.

Patrick Dowd continues to work as a senior NSA official while also working part time for Alexander’s IronNet Cybersecurity, a firm reported to charge up to $1m a month for advising banks on protecting their data from hackers. It is exceedingly rare for a US official to be allowed to work for a private, for-profit company in a field intimately related to his or her public function.

-----------snip

Since retiring from the NSA in March and entering the burgeoning field of cybersecurity consulting, Alexander has vociferously defended his ethics against charges of profiting off of his NSA credentials. Alexander was the founding general in charge of US Cyber Command, the first military command charged with defending Defense Department data and attacking those belonging to adversaries. Both positions provide Alexander with unique and marketable insights into cybersecurity.

---------snip

Alexander, whose adult life was spent in uniform, intends to file patents for what he has described obliquely as a new forecasting model for detecting network intrusions. His assurance prompted speculation that the retired general is profiting from technical sophistication that competitors who do not have a US intelligence pedigree cannot hope to replicate.

--------snip

Alexander portrayed Dowd’s unusual joint positions with the NSA and IronNet as a way for the public to keep benefitting from Dowd’s expertise, while saying less about how Alexander will profit from the same skill set.

2 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Senior NSA Official Patrick Dowd is Moonlighting With Keith Alexander's Private Cybersecurity Firm (Original Post) KoKo Oct 2014 OP
Quintessential Fascism !!!! orpupilofnature57 Oct 2014 #1
Captain General Kirk? Octafish Oct 2014 #2

Octafish

(55,745 posts)
2. Captain General Kirk?
Sat Oct 18, 2014, 01:37 PM
Oct 2014


Incredible guy, the most powerful man ever, that General. T

Can there really be a conflict-of-interest when money trumps peace? I mean, between friends, KoKo?
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Senior NSA Official Patri...