The Obama administration's top cybersecurity aide has tendered her resignation, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

Melissa Hathaway, who managed the initial implementation of the multi-billion-dollar Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative (CNCI) under the Bush administration and led the team that created the recently-released Cyberspace Policy Review, informed the White House of the decision two weeks ago, the report stated. The Obama administration is currently searching for someone to fill the newly created position of National Cyber Coordinator.

"I finished what they asked me to do," Hathaway said, according to the WSJ report.

The Obama administration has pledged to take a more serious approach to cybersecurity. In May, the administration announced that it would establish a top-level office to create and manage the United States' strategy for securing cyberspace, launching the nation on a massive initiative to better protect information networks and critical infrastructure. The United States needs to quickly come up with answers to sticky questions, such as when should the nation attack through cyberspace and what should be the role of the National Security Agency, the signals intelligence and cyber arm of the military, a former advisor to the Obama campaign said.

Since the May announcement of the top advisory position, several candidates have turned down the post, according to the Wall Street Journal report.

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