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    White House's top cybersecurity chief retires

    White House's top cybersecurity chief retires

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    Howard Schmidt will be stepping down from his role as White House cybersecurity coordinator at the end of this month and will be replaced by the White House Budget Office's Michael Daniel.

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    With the US government's mounting concern over cybersecurity issues, White House cybersecurity coordinator Howard Schmidt's retirement from his position comes at an inconvenient time. Schmidt worked two and a half years in this position and was previously an adviser for President George W. Bush on cyber issues. During this time, the government has made investments in assets designed to protect us from cyber threats both large and small.

    Schmidt's replacement is Michael Daniel, chief of the White House Budget Office's intelligence branch. Daniel was instrumental in reforming intelligence budgets after the 2001 terrorist attacks, and has worked for 17 years at the Office of Management and Budget, according to The Washington Post, while also filling the role of President Obama's top cybersecurity adviser. He will take up his new position at the end of May, when Schmidt officially steps down.