4 cybersecurity gurus to follow on Twitter

Twitter is a crowded place, with hundreds of millions of tweets fired off daily. Cybersecurity is a lively part of that chatter, but even a quick search of #cyber spits back more than one can handle.

To spare you that bombardment and confusion, FCW (@FCWnow on Twitter) suggests four particularly insightful cybersecurity experts to follow.

1. Richard Bejtlich (@taosecurity), chief security strategist at FireEye

Bejtlich helps his more than 27,000 Twitter followers put cybersecurity in historical context. He recently mused: "Problem for aspiring #cyber historians: lack of documented primary sources. Classification, NDAs and culture of secrecy are some obstacles."

His feed is full of military history, referencing everything from the Civil War to Richard III. It also includes the latest in cybersecurity news and challenges to conventional wisdom. An Aug. 12 tweet wondered if widely cited security technologist Bruce Schneier's presentation at a recent hackers' conference was a rehash of established ideas.

2. Richard Stiennon (@stiennon and @cyberwar), executive editor of SecurityCurrent and founder of IT-Harvest

Stiennon is a regular commentator on cybersecurity for Forbes. His recent posts have examined the possibility of another leaker at the National Security Agency and have defended former NSA Director Gen. Keith Alexander for reportedly charging six to seven figures for his consulting services.

Stiennon's articulation of what he has called the "IT security mindset" could help bridge a gap between policy-makers and cybersecurity gurus. When several IT commentators lashed out at White House Cybersecurity Coordinator Michael Daniel for recently arguing for a less technical approach to cybersecurity, Stiennon offered a measured response, saying, "It's the role that is at fault here, not Mr. Daniel or anyone else chosen to be the cybersecurity policy coordinator."

3. Jason Healey (@Jason_Healey), director of the Atlantic Council's Cyber Statecraft Initiative

This cyber hand's Twitter feed offers critiques and insights into U.S. cyber policy that can only come from executive branch experience. (He was director for cyber infrastructure protection at the George W. Bush White House from 2003 to 2005.)

In a recent tweet, he said NSA should not be too forceful in contributing to the government's multi-agency handling of cybersecurity: "There are 9 players on the cyber ball field; don't need any one player, much less Ft Meade, running around yelling 'I got it, I got it!'"

The former Air Force man has also been outspoken on the service's cybersecurity strategy: "Sad. 'Non-kinetic effects' rather than desperate need for defense dominate cyber section of new Air Force strategy."

4. Robert M. Lee (@RobertMLee), Air Force cyberspace operations officer and Ph.D. candidate at King's College London

Lee wears many hats: He is a co-founder of Dragos Security, a control-systems security firm, and a cyberspace operations officer in the Air Force, giving Twitter users a rare perspective from an active-duty military officer.

Lee is notably passionate on Twitter about safeguarding IT product security. "I understand to some extent it's their own fault, but I hate seeing people get taken advantage of by security product vendors. #snakeoil," he tweeted recently.