"I think it's reasonable for critical infrastructure and government contractors, but if it extends into general business, it's doomed to failure," he said.

For one thing, he said, the government has shown no ability to secure itself. "Perhaps the re-prioritization of a new administration will improve that, but there is immeasurable institutional momentum to overcome," he said.

While the NSA plays a critical role in cyber-intelligence, Mogull said it is not the right entity to manage our national defensive cybersecurity. "The missions fundamentally conflict," he said. "If we want to leverage their extensive expertise, a separate agency should be created and charged with the defensive role, reporting to a cybersecurity head outside the intelligence infrastructure."

Top government officials don't necessarily disagree. Lt. Gen. Keith Alexander, director of the National Security Agency (NSA), has . He .

"Clearly, the NSA has a major role to play," Alexander said. "We're technical people. We'll have the lead, I think, for the Defense Department and the intel community, for critical national security systems, but we need partnership with others."