The NSA's 'New' Mission: Get More Public With the Private Sector The National Security Agency's gradual emergence from the shadows was "inevitable" in cybersecurity, says Vinnie Liu, co-founder and CEO of offensive security firm Bishop Fox and a former NSA analyst. Now the agency has to figure out how to best work with the private sector, especially organizations outside the well-resourced and seasoned Fortune 100. Kelly Jackson Higgins PDF Vinnie Liu was hired out of high school at the age of 17 by the National Security Agency (NSA) after clearly making an impression on intel community professionals he met and befriended on IRC channels for technical skills far beyond his years. The year was 1999.