Pat Dollard

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President Obama announced on Friday the creation of a “cyber czar” position, stepping up his administration’s efforts to better protect the nation’s computer networks.

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WASHINGTON — President Obama announced Friday the creation of a “cyber czar” to oversee an enhanced security system for U.S. computer networks.

The position is part of a long-awaited plan stemming from a review he ordered shortly after taking office.

Obama has called digital security a top priority, whether it’s guarding the computer systems that keep the lights on in a city and direct airliners to the right runway or those protecting customers who pay their bills online.

“Make no mistake, this world, cyberspace is a world that we depend on every single day,” he said, noting the range of technological tools used by Americans. “So cyberspace is real, so are the risks that come with it.”

Obama laid out broad goals for dealing with cyber threats while depicting the U.S. as a digital nation that needs to provide the education required to keep pace with technology and attract and retain a cyber-savvy work force. He also called for a new education campaign to raise public awareness of the challenges and threats related to cyber security.

“The task I describe will not be easy,” he said. “Protecting our prosperity and security in this globalized world is going to be a long difficult struggle demanding patience and persistence over many years.

“But we need to remember we’re only at the beginning,” he said, asserting the information age is only in its infancy.

The review will not dictate how the government or private industry should tighten digital defenses. Critics say the cyber czar will not have sufficient budgetary and policymaking authority over securing computer systems and spending.

Officials familiar with the discussions say the cyber czar would be a special assistant to the president and would be supported by a new cyber directorate within the National Security Council. The cyber czar would also work with the National Economic Council, said the officials, who described the plan on condition of anonymity because it has not been publicly released.

The special assistant title is not as high in the White House hierarchy as some officials sought. It would not give the czar direct, unfettered access to the president. Instead, the official would report to senior NSC officials — a situation many say will make it difficult to make major changes within the calcified federal bureaucracy.

Government and military officials have acknowledged that U.S. computer networks are constantly assailed by attacks and scans, ranging from nuisance hacking to more nefarious probes and attacks. Some suggest that the actions at times are a form of cyber espionage from other nations, such as China.

Obama did not announce who will get the job during Friday’s unveiling of the review, according to an administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the selection process is ongoing. Other officials close to the issue say a handful of experts — both in and out of government — are under consideration.