Obama to name cyber security czar

Completed six weeks ago, the much-anticipated report has been delayed because policymakers in and outside the White House have been at loggerheads over how much power and budget-making authority the new office will have.

According to officials familiar with the discussions, the cyber czar would be a special assistant to the president and would be supported by a new cyber directorate within the National Security Council. The cyber czar would also work with the National Economic Council, said the officials, who described the plan on condition of anonymity because it has not been publicly released.

The special assistant title is not as high in the White House hierarchy as some officials sought. It would not give the czar direct, unfettered access to the president. Instead, the official would report to senior NSC officials, a situation many say will make it difficult to make major changes within the federal bureaucracy.

Government and military officials have acknowledged that US computer networks are constantly assailed by attacks and scans, ranging from nuisance hacking to more nefarious probes and attacks. Some suggest that the actions at times are a form of espionage from other nations, such as China.

Federal officials and corporate leaders familiar with the review say it will urge private industry to better protect networks against hackers and cyber criminals. The plan will call for accountability from both the government and industry in ensuring the security of the nation's networks.

The study will depict the United States as a digital nation that needs to provide the education required to keep pace with technology, and attract and retain a cyber-savvy workforce.

But the review does not explicitly dictate how the government or private industry should tighten digital defenses. Critics say the cyber czar will not have sufficient budgetary and policymaking authority over securing computer systems and spending.