Harry Coker Urges Unified Public-Private Cyber Defense

Public-private partnerships are of grave importance to tackle cyberthreats, given their ability to transcend geographical boundaries and impact individuals regardless of location, said Harry Coker, secretary of the Maryland Department of Commerce and former U.S. national cyber director.

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Reflecting on his tenure at ONCD, Coker noted a significant shift in the federal government’s approach to cybersecurity. He observed an increased recognition of cybersecurity’s critical role in national economic prosperity and security. This acknowledgment has led to a more proactive stance, moving from reactive crisis response to building resilience against inevitable cyber compromises.

“The biggest complication, from my perspective, is that cyber has victimized American residents. Cyber that come from nation-state adversaries, and up until now, the United States government has defended every American resident from nation-state adversaries. That was based on the traditional model of kinetic-based warfare. But in today’s world, cyber is a battle space, and the federal government needs to defend every American resident from nation-state actors,” he said.

In this video interview with Information Security Media Group at RSAC Conference 2025, Coker also discussed:

• The importance of transitioning from reactive crisis responses to proactive resilience building;
• Building trust and sharing threat intelligence between the government and private sector are crucial for effective cybersecurity;
• A call for smart regulations and regulatory harmonization to reduce compliance costs and enhance national security.

As U.S. national cyber director from 2023 to 2025, Coker served as principal advisor to the president of the United States on cybersecurity strategy and policy. Coker previously served as executive director of the National Security Agency.