The Trustees of the                                              

                                                                       BALTIMORE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS

 

                                                                                                      Cordially Invite You to an Address by

 

                                                                        GENERAL KEITH B. ALEXANDER

                                    COMMANDER OF THE UNITED STATES

                                             CYBER COMMAND

                                         DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY

     

                                                                          Thursday, October 31, 2013

                                                                              Reception: 5:15 p.m.                      Address: 6:00 p.m.

                                                                                  THE HYATT REGENCY – 300 LIGHT STREET, BALTIMORE

                                                                                 

“CYBER CHALLENGES”

 

Many believe that cyber warfare is the greatest threat to American security today; and that vital government institutions and the economy’s infrastructure are vulnerable to attack and subject to constant espionage. On the other hand, probably no nation can match the offensive cyber capabilities of the United States and its technical abilities to counter even individual terrorist attempts at unconventional warfare.

Traditional fears of the temptation of government to abuse its power and deep sensitivity to the realm of individual freedom are intensified by the reach of contemporary technology.

The dilemma of balancing vigorous efforts to meet security needs while constraining possibe abuse of government power is especially challenging in our contemporary technological environment.

We are indeed extraordinarily fortunate and privileged to have General Keith Alexander, Director of the NSA and Commander of the United States Cyber Command discuss cyber challenges and attendant issues with us.

General Alexander holds a B.S. degree from West Point, an M.S. degree from Boston College, an M.S. in Electronic Warfare, and an M.S. in Physics from the Naval Postgraduate School, and an MS degree in National Security Studies from the National Defense University. As a mid-career intelligence officer, he was in signals intelligence at a number of National Security Agency bases. He later served as Deputy Director for Intelligence for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Director of Intelligence at the US Central Command (and G-2 for the First Armored Division in Desert Shield and Desert Storm), Commanding General of the Army’s Intelligence and Security Command, and Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence at Army Headquarters.

He assumed the positions of Director of the National Security Agency and Chief of the Central Security Service in 2005, and Commander of the United States Cyber Command in 2010.