Once upon a time the former head of the Department of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff raked in tons of cash after forming 'The Chertoff Group' which 'advises' on security, risk assessment and represents/lobbies for people like manufacturers of airport full-body scanners. Of course their main clients are mostly banks and big businesses. Not to be outdone former head of the NSA (and man in charge during two of the biggest security breaches in history) was reported by Bloomberg to have obtained a gig providing 'security' to banks and other financial institutions:
Joining a crowded field of cyber-consultants, the former National Security Agency chief is pitching his services for as much as $1 million a month. The audience is receptive: Under pressure from regulators, lawmakers and their customers, financial firms are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into barriers against digital assaults.
Alexander, who retired in March from his dual role as head of the NSA and the U.S. Cyber Command, has since met with the largest banking trade groups, stressing the threat from state-sponsored attacks bent on data destruction as well as hackers interested in stealing information or money.
Alexander for obvious love of country, was willing to negotiate down to a more respectable 600k/month:
Alexander offered to provide advice to Sifma for $1 million a month, according to two people briefed on the talks. The asking price later dropped to $600,000, the people said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the negotiation was private.
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Having been covering this from the beginning, champion of truth and justice Marcy Wheeler has news on Alan Grayson starting to raise some questions with a letter asking one of Alexanders clients what is Alexander doing for that kind of sum, and does it require sharing classified information?
Dear Mr Bentsen,
I am writing with concerns about the potential disclosure of classified information by former National Security Agency Director Keith Alexander. According to a June 20, 2014 article in Bloomberg News, Mr. Alexander is requesting between $600,000 and $1,000,000 a month for cybersecurity consulting services with your organization.
Security expert Bruce Schneier noted that this fee for Alexander’s services is on its face unreasonable. “Think of how much actual security they could buy with that $600K a month.Unless he’s giving them classified information.” Schneier also quoted Recode.net, which headlined this news as: “For another million, I’ll show you the back door we put in your router.”
This arrangement with mr. Alexander may also include additional work with shadow regulatory from The Promontory Group, with whom Alexander apparently will partner on "cybersecurity matters." According to Promontory spokesman Chris Winans, Mr Alexander "and a firm he's forming will work on the technical aspects of these issues, and we on the risk-management compliance and governance elements."
Disclosing or misusing classified information for profit is, as Mr. Alexander well knows, a felony. I question how Mr. Alexander can provide any of the services he is offering unless he discloses or misuses classified information, including extremely sensitive sources and methods. Without the classified information that he acquired in his former position, he literally would have nothing to offer to you.
Please send me all information related to your negotiations with Mr. Alexander, so that Congress can verify whether or not he is selling military and cybersecurity secrets to the financial services industry for personal gain.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Regards,
Alan Grayson
Member of Congress