The Michael Jacobs file

Responsibility: To implement an information assurance strategy to protect the defense information infrastructure and, as appropriate, the national information infrastructure.

Strategy's five cornerstones: Cybersecurity awareness; strong cryptography; good security-enabled commercial information technology; an enabling global security management infrastructure; and a defensive information operations capability equipped with an attack-sensing and -warning capability and coordinated response mechanisms.

Hobbies: Fishing, but he says catching fish is not the point; gardening, especially flowers, because he says Maryland has too many insects and microbes for vegetables and he prefers not to use chemicals.

Family: Three adult sons, one daughter in college, a son in high school, and a granddaughter whose face adorns his coffee mug.