President Barack Obama says that digital security a top priority, despite the fact that many would most probably put it behind other agendas the coutry has on its plate. However according to Obama the fourth or fifth top priority is to guard 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.

Today, Obama is expected to lay out broad goals for dealing with cyber threats. He apparently wants to show that the US is 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 is expected to call for a new education campaign to raise public awareness of the challenges and threats related to cyber security.

People in the know say that today's speech will be long on talk and short on telling the government or private industry to tighten digital defenses. However, the cyber czar will not have sufficient budgetary and policymaking authority over securing computer systems and spending and so will nominally be a figurehead.

In fact the czar will not even direct, unfettered access to the president, which is something that even the White House dog has. 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.