DHSMark Weatherford named DHS cybersecurity chief

On Thursday, DHS announced that it had selected Mark Weatherford, the chief security officer of the North American Electrical Reliability Corporation (NERC), as the next deputy undersecretary of cybersecurity.

Weatherford replaces Philip Reitinger, who resigned from the position in May and was recently named the chief information officer at Sony.

As DHS’s deputy undersecretary of cybersecurity, Weatherford will manage the agency’s cybersecurity operations including the agency’s work with the private sector as well as working with other federal agencies to secure the government’s networks.

Under the Obama administration’s proposed cybersecurity plan, DHS is the primary agency responsible for the .gov domain, which means that Weatherford will play a critical role in the future. 

While serving as the chief security officer of NERC, Weatherford was crucial in helping to protect the nation’s electrical grid, as the organization is tasked with ensuring the “the reliability of the bulk power system in North America,” according to its website.

Weatherford’s experience there will be a valuable asset as DHS is heavily involved in protecting critical infrastructure from cyberattacks.

Prior to NERC, Weatherford served as the director and chief information security officer for the state of California. In that capacity, he established the state’s first formal IT security plan and strategy.

Greg Schaffer is currently serving as the interim deputy undersecretary of cybersecurity and it is unclear when Weatherford will start.