The head of the U.S. National Security Agency said “uneven” cooperation between the government and private sector has hampered the fight against a “literal onslaught” of cyber attacks from criminal and state-supported hackers.

Speaking at The Wall Street Journal CEO Council, Adm. Michael S. Rogers said the host of hackers is “so large and so diverse” that perpetrators are difficult to identify. About two-thirds are criminals or criminal groups looking to steal personal information for financial gain, and the balance are state-sponsored hackers, he said.

He said company leaders need to take a personal interest in cyber security, which has become too important a matter to be delegated entirely to network security specialists.

“You need to shape the discussion,” he said. “I don’t pretend that this needs to totally dominate your life, but there is a significant role for you to play.”

The appeal for greater cooperation challenges the abiding suspicion in the private sector about government intentions.

Read the whole story from the Wall Street Journal.

Featured image courtesy of CSPAN.