Former Microsoft CSO to Head Federal Infrastructure Protection Board

Howard Schmidt, the former chief security officer at Microsoft, jumped ship to become vice chair of President Bushs Critical Infrastructure Protection Board under Richard Clarke. He joins Clarke’s Cyberspace Security team in the White House, reporting to Condoleezza Rice, National Security Advisor and Gov. Tom Ridge, Director of Homeland Security. Schmidt is building a specialized cyber security board of senior government and private sector leaders to focus on homeland cyber security.

Before joining Microsoft, he was a Supervisory Special Agent, Director of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Computer Forensic Lab and Computer Crime and Information Warfare. Schmidt is the International president of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) and the recently formed Information Technology-Information Security Analysis Center (IT-ISAC). He holds a bachelors degree in Business Administration and a masters degree in organizational management.