Microsoft Corp. in February names Scott Charney, a former principal for PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Cybercrime Prevention and Response Practice, as chief security strategist. Charney replaced Howard Schmidt, who left the company in January to become vice chairman of the National Critical Infrastructure Protection Board (see above). Charney is responsible for service and infrastructure security , as well as for developing product security strategies. Before joining PricewaterhouseCoopers, Charney was chief of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), Criminal Division, at the Department of Justice, from 1991 to 1999. While at the DOJ, Charney investigated and prosecuted national and international hacker cases, economic espionage cases, and violations of federal criminal copyright and trademark laws. Before joining the federal ranks, Charney was an assistant district attorney in Bronx County, New York, ultimately serving as deputy chief of the Investigations Bureau. Charney holds a degree from Syracuse University College of Law as well as bachelor’s degrees in history and English from the State University of New York at Binghamton. Related content feature Top cybersecurity M&A deals for 2023 Fears of recession, rising interest rates, mass tech layoffs, and conservative spending trends are likely to make dealmakers cautious, but an ever-increasing need to defend against bigger and faster attacks will likely keep M&A activity steady in By CSO Staff Sep 22, 2023 24 mins Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions brandpost Unmasking ransomware threat clusters: Why it matters to defenders Similar patterns of behavior among ransomware treat groups can help security teams better understand and prepare for attacks By Joan Goodchild Sep 21, 2023 3 mins Cybercrime news analysis China’s offensive cyber operations support “soft power” agenda in Africa Researchers track Chinese cyber espionage intrusions targeting African industrial sectors. By Michael Hill Sep 21, 2023 5 mins Advanced Persistent Threats Cyberattacks Critical Infrastructure brandpost Proactive OT security requires visibility + prevention You cannot protect your operation by simply watching and waiting. It is essential to have a defense-in-depth approach. By Austen Byers Sep 21, 2023 4 mins Security Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe