Apple Hires NSA Pro David Rice as Security Boss

Apple has apparently hired former U.S. Naval cryptology officer and NSA global network vulnerability analyst David Rice to serve as Global Director of Security. The Mac, iPhone and iPad maker isn’t commenting on the hiring, but insider sources claim Mr. Rice will start work some time in March, according to AllThingsD.

Mr. Rice is expected to focus on mobile security, especially for iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad, since that’s a key selling point for enterprise-level companies.

Apple’s new security boss: David Rice

Along with his government credentials, Mr. Rice is the executive director of the tech security consulting company Monterey Group, serves on the faculty of the information security research company IANS, works with the nonprofit cyber attack research group U.S. Cyber Consequences Unit, is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, and is the author of “Geekonomics.”

Mr. Rice isn’t the only security-related hire Apple has gone after as of late. The company also hired Ivan Krstic who previously served as the head of security for the One Laptop Per Child project, Mozilla security chief Window Snyder, and former PGP CTO Jon Callas.

With Mr. Rice heading up that team, Apple looks to be taking a more proactive approach to mobile and cyber security.