GSA picks info assurance chief

GSA Federal Technology Service

The General Services Administration last week named Sallie McDonald as assistant

commissioner of the newly-created office of information assurance and critical

infrastructure protection.

McDonald has been with GSA for 23 years, spending the past three in

the Office of Information Security. As head of the new security policy office,

McDonald will lead the agency's governmentwide responsibilities regarding

network protection, which includes:

* Leading the Federal Computer Incident Response Capability, the government's

central warning and response organization.

* Leading the Federal PKI Steering Committee, the advocate for governmentwide

use of public-key infrastructure.

* Leading agency compliance with Presidential Decision Directive 63,

which requires agencies to secure the information systems that support the

nation's critical infrastructure.

GSA created the office, part of the Federal Technology Service, in October,

when the agency split the Office of Information Security along policy and

contracting lines.

The contracting functions, including administration of the Safeguard

contract for PDD 63 services and the Access Certificates for Electronic

Service contract for PKI products and services, are now part of the Office

of Information Technology Solutions.