Marcus H. Sachs

Marcus H. Sachs is the Senior VP & Chief Engineer for the Center for Internet Security, Inc. (CIS®). He advises CIS leadership on engineering practices and processes; he also participates in the design, development, and review of CIS products and services. Sachs represents CIS in a variety of public forums and activities and serves as an internationally recognized thought leader and advocate for CIS best practices, solutions, and offerings.

Sachs retired from the U.S. Army in January 2002 after serving a distinguished 20-year career as a Corps of Engineers and Systems Automation officer. After his military retirement, he was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve in the White House Office of Cyberspace Security. In May 2003, he joined the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the first Cyber Program Director, where he was responsible for developing the implementation plan for the National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace.

His private sector experience includes serving as the Deputy Director of SRI International’s Computer Science Laboratory, as the Vice President for National Security Policy at Verizon, as the Senior Vice President and Chief Security Officer of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), as the Chief Security Officer of Pattern Computer, and as the Deputy Director for Research at Auburn University’s McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security.

Sachs has 25+ years of experience working with public/private advisory groups such as the President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee, the President’s National Infrastructure Advisory Council, the FCC’s Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council, and the US National Archives’ State, Local, Tribal, and Private Sector Policy Advisory Committee. He was a contributor to the National Infrastructure Protection Plan and in November 2007 was named a member of the Commission on Cyber Security for the 44th Presidency. He has testified before the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the United States Congress.

Sachs directed the all-volunteer SANS Internet Storm Center from 2003-2010 and remains actively involved in efforts to raise cybersecurity awareness and to professionalize the cyber career field. He is currently the Vice President of the North Alabama Chapter of the Information Systems Security Association and is Cyber Huntsville’s Vice President of Advisory Council.

He holds degrees in Civil Engineering, Science and Technology Commercialization, Computer Science, and is “All But Dissertation” on a Ph.D. in Public Policy. Sachs is a registered Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named a Distinguished Member of the US Army Signal Regiment in 2017.