Robert Knake

Cyber policy

Robert Knake is a cybersecurity policy specialist whose work has focused on national cyber strategy, critical infrastructure, and resilience against disruptive attacks. He has held U.S. government roles and has written for policy institutions on the relationship between technical risk and public policy.

Writing and strategy

With Richard A. Clarke, Knake co-authored Cyber War, a book that brought cyber conflict and infrastructure risk to a broad policy audience. He has also contributed analysis on how governments and organizations should prepare for ransomware and other systemic threats.

Ransomware

Knake chaired the Institute for Security and Technology's Ransomware Task Force. Its 2021 report proposed a coordinated set of actions for reducing the ransomware ecosystem and improving resilience.

Timeline

• 2010Co-authors <em>Cyber War</em> with Richard A. Clarke.
• 2021Chairs the Ransomware Task Force, which publishes a framework for disrupting ransomware.
• 2021Serves as deputy national cyber director in the U.S. Office of the National Cyber Director.