Microsoft, Hewlett Foundation preparing to launch nonprofit that calls out cyberattacks
Paul Rosenzweig, a former deputy assistant secretary for policy at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, told CyberScoop that regardless of the group’s direction, there is an appetite for a nongovernmental organization taking on these tasks because of the constraints that come with government-level attribution.
“Governments are rightly reluctant for a whole host of reasons,” said Rosenzweig, now a senior fellow at the R Street Institute. “In large part because the act of calling someone out is embedded in a broader dynamic about trade, taxes, war, diplomacy, finance, you name it — the whole thing is tied up in a relationship with China, Russia, Iran or Israel. That wouldn’t burden a private sector organization.”
Rosenzweig, who has not been involved with the institute, said if it really wants to establish its neutral bona fides, it must be willing to call out activity that appears linked with the U.S. government in addition to activity emanating from Iran, Russia, North Korea, and China.
“I think the only way to make it like that [neutral] is … to make a point of calling out the NSA when they can … making a public stink about it in a way that asserts their independence from the NSA,” he said, adding he thinks the makeup of the organization could benefit from hiring from around the globe.
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