NATIONAL BRIEFING / WASHINGTON, D.C.

The Obama administration is creating a “cyber czar” within the White House to coordinate the nation’s computer security, but critics say the post will not have enough authority.

Government and private industry need to better protect the nation’s computer networks, the White House warns in a plan to be rolled out today as the administration sets broad goals for dealing with computer threats.

President Obama is expected to say that computer security is a priority of the administration and to call for a new education campaign to raise public awareness of the challenges and threats that computer security involves.

According to officials familiar with the discussions, the cyber czar would be a special assistant to the president and would be supported by a new cyber directorate within the National Security Council.

The cyber czar would also work with the National Economic Council, said the officials, who described the plan to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because it has not been publicly released.