FBI names new chief for computer security division

The FBI announced the appointment of a new chief for the National Infrastructure Protection Center, the office responsible for protecting the nation's computer networks against hackers and cyberterrorists.

Ronald Dick, the new deputy assistant director overseeing the program, served in two positions within NIPC before being appointed to the program's top job, first as a training chief and then as head of the computer investigations and operations section.

A licensed accountant, he is a former account manager for Burroughs, the IT company known now as Unisys. He joined the FBI in 1977, starting out investigating white collar and drug crimes in Texas. He spent 4 years as a chief in the FBI's unit for investigating computer and financial crimes before transferring to the NIPC.

The NIPC coordinates law enforcement's response to attacks on the national infrastructure, such as hacker attacks by foreign nations or terrorists seeking to cripple the phone system or the stock exchanges. It also keeps watch over the nation's physical infrastructure, like roads, energy distribution and water systems, as well as telecom. The NIPC also serves as the FBI's clearing house for major investigations of computer viruses and computer crime and an early-warning system for potential targets in the U.S.

The NIPC, in Washington, D.C., can be reached at: www.nipc.gov

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.