National Cyber Director Chris Inglis reportedly set to retire in the coming months
Reports emerged Tuesday that National Cyber Director Chris Inglis will retire from his post in the coming months, capping more than a year and a half as the nation's top cyber official. Drew Angerer / GETTY IMAGES
By
Chris Riotta
The first national cyber director has been shepherding the White House’s national cyber strategy with the help of industry professionals and cybersecurity experts.
National Cyber Director Chris Inglis reportedly plans to step down from his post and retire after serving as the president's top adviser on cybersecurity issues since July 2021.
Inglis served as the first national cyber director since the office was established under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. His career has included multiple positions within the National Security Agency, including as its deputy director, and as a cybersecurity and mechanical engineering professor at the U.S. Naval Academy.
The news of Inglis' expected departure from the federal government was first reported by CNN. The national cyber director's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Under Inglis, the office of the national cyber director, or ONCD, has served as a critical source for guidance amid multiple significant national cyber incidents, from the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack to the Log4Shell vulnerability. Kemba Enear Walden, who joined ONCD in May after working on ransomware and security issues at Microsoft, was expected to serve as acting director upon Inglis' exit.
Inglis has served as one of the most prominent cybersecurity voices across the federal government since President Joe Biden appointed him to the post and he was confirmed by the Senate last year.
Upon taking the job, Inglis said it would be the role of the cyber director to provide "on-scene leadership" in the event of a major cyber incident while the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency would serve as the "on-the-field quarterback," assisting organizations and surging agency resources wherever necessary.
It was not immediately clear when exactly Inglis would be stepping down from his role, though reports said he was planning for a departure within the next two months. It also remained unclear if Inglis would stay on until the release of the highly-anticipated national cyber strategy, which his office has spearheaded with the help of industry and agency leaders.