Former Cybersecurity Czar Joins CIA

Former Homeland Security cybersecurity chief Amit Yoran has been recruited by the CIA.  On Tuesday, Menlo, Calif.-based In-Q-Tel, the CIA’s venture capital arm, hired Yoran to be its president and CEO, according to the group’s release.

Yoran succeeds Gilman Louie, who served as the In-Q-Tel’s chief executive since its launch in 1999.  Louie will stay with the company to ensure a smooth transition before moving on to start his own venture capital firm.

In-Q-Tel was established as a way for the CIA to identify and invest in companies developing new technologies that could help protect the nation from terrorism and other threats.

Yoran graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and has a master’s degree from George Washington University.  He has experience in both the public and private sectors.  In 1998, Yoran founded RipTech, which he sold to Symantec in 2002.  Early in his career, Yoran held a post within the Pentagon’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), and later was director of the National Cyber Security Division within DHS.  In 2004, Yoran resigned from DHS.

“Amit’s lifetime experience—as an entrepreneur, a venture investor and leader in commercial companies and national security—makes him the perfect fit for our organization,” said Louie. “His critical understanding of key technologies and security needs will position In-Q-Tel to continue to serve as a unique tool driving innovation across the broader Intelligence Community.”

By Al Sacco