Securing Cyberspace with Government and Industry Expertise

Digital Government Institute's bi-annual Cyber Security Conference & Expo exceeded prior year's attendance by 47%, delivering 289 government attendees and 373 total attendees -- the largest to date for DGI's focused, government-only events.   This year's sessions addressed "Securing Cyberspace with Government and Industry Expertise".

Bob Dix, Vice President of Government Affairs and Critical Infrastructure Protection, Juniper Networks (left) moderated the popular opening panel  "The State of Cyber Security Today:  Where we go From Here".  Ely Kahn, Director of Cybersecurity Policy at National Security Staff, Executive Office of the President (right) discussed the White House's National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace plan, which aims to improve and strengthen identity and authentication procedures for online transactions, according to an article by InformationWeek.

"Cybersecurity is an issue members of Congress are focusing on," said Deborah Parkinson, senior policy analyst on the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee (right), as reported by GCN.  Parkinson said legislation could come from information security amendments included in the Defense Department Authorization Bill passed in the House recently, despite differences between the House legislation and a cybersecurity bill being drafted in the Senate Homeland Security Committee.

Mitchell Komaroff, Director, Globalization Task Force for the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Networks and Information Integration / DoD Chief Information Officer, DoD (left) says the low cost and high-function of consumer smart phones has DoD thinking it's time to get them in the hands of soldiers in theater, as reported by FedTech Bisnow.  He says DoD is in the early stages of a pilot program and will be sending out a second draft of supply chain best practices to industry for review soon.

John Gilligan, former Air Force CIO (left), during the session "Understanding New FISMA Performance Metrics" said, as reported by GCN, the direction in which cybersecurity needs to move is toward more automation, use of standards such as the Security Compliance Automation Protocols developed by NIST and the NSA, and prioritizing with the use of tools such as the Consensus Audit Guidelines of 20 critical security controls.   DHS expects to have new metrics for reporting ready for agencies by Aug. 3.  A preliminary framework has been developed that streamlines requirements and focuses on the impact of security controls, said Matt Coose, Federal Network Security, National Cybersecurity Division, DHS (right).

Don Proctor, Senior Vice President with Cisco (left), discussed "Building an Architecture of Trust: The Network's Role in Securing Cyberspace".  Listen to a Federal News Radio interview with Proctor on this topic: 

Karen Evans, former Administrator for IT and E-Government, OMB (right) and Frank Reeder, Cybersecurity Commission Member, Center for Strategic and International Studies presented  "A Strategy to Develop an Effective U.S. Cyber Workforce".  The administration should define a core set of skills cybersecurity workers must possess, Evans said as reported by NextGov, and encourage individuals to build upon those core talents in specialized areas that more closely match their responsibilities.  Evans is leading the U.S. Cyber Challenge, a nationwide talent search and training program designed to identify 10,000 young Americans qualified to fill cybersecurity positions in and outside government.

Jim Butterworth, Senior Director of Cyber Security, Guidance Software (left) gave a dynamic interactive presentation with Stephen Elky, Deputy Director for IT Services, Library of Congress on "Cyber Forensics: The Key to Attack Attribution".

In the News

Below are articles reported as a result of the June 3 Cyber Security Conference.  Read all these articles and more resources on DGI's Cyber Security Knowledge Center.

• "Another IPv6 Mandate?", reported Fed Tech Bisnow
• "White House Drafts Cyber Identity, Authentication Strategy", reported InformationWeek
• "Cyber Security Moving Up Congress' To-Do List, Staffer Says", reported GCN
• "The Networks' Role in Securing Cyber Space", interview
  by Federal News Radio
• "Panel to Recommend Certifications for Cybersecurity Workforce", reported NextGov
• "A Strategy to Develop an Effective U.S. Cyber Workforce", Podcast by ITAC (Identity Theft Assistance Center) blog
• "Latent Vulnerabilities Require New Approach", reported The New New Internet

The Networking Expo

Attendees listen intently during one of the sessions.

Albert Nieves talks with an attendee about Guidance Software capabilities.

Attendees network with Websense / Patriot Technologies...

... and HP during exhibit hours.

An attendee requests to receive more information from Mike Guilfoyle with CA Technologies.

Bill Jackson, Senior Editor, GCN, questions a panel.  "Loved the press questions," commented one conference attendee. Read Jackson's article "Cyber Security Moving Up Congress' To-Do List, Staffer Says".

Georgia Hallman, Guidance Software, shares a laugh with an attendee.

Attendees network with Cisco...

... and each other.  Not surprising, 'peer networking' is a top reason for attending the event, as is "Strong speakers and good collection of topics".

DLT/CyberArk...

... DLT / Quest...

... and DLT / Symantec were event sponsors.

Attendees learn more about (ISC)2 CISSP certification and the Government Information Security Leadership Awards (GISLA).

What Attendees Said...

About the 2010 Cyber Security Event:

• Always excellent - best one-day conference."
• "All sessions provided excellent information.  Very professional workshop."
• "Strong speakers and good collection of topics."
• "Great set of topics and speakers with extensive expertise."
• "Good mix of public and private sector viewpoints.  Technical detail was appropriate-not too simple, not too "in the weeds"."
• "I enjoyed the opportunity to hear from top managers on allocation of resources."
• "Speakers provided helpful and just-in-time cyber security information."
• "Q&A sessions - loved the press questions.  The caliber of speakers was very good, other table mates were pleased."
• "There was a breadth of current real-time state of security topics."
• "Valuable, exceeded expectations."

Education Advisory Committee

DGI thanks the Education Advisory Committee for its input on developing the Conference Program:

• Devon Bryan, Director, Cybersecurity Operations, Internal Revenue Service, Department of the Treasury
• Jim Butterworth, Senior Director of Cyber Security, Guidance Software
• Sam Chun, Director, Cyber Security Practice, U.S. Public Sector, Hewlett-Packard Company
• Robert B. Dix, Jr., Vice President of Government Affairs and Critical Infrastructure Protection, Juniper Networks
• Stephen Elky, Deputy Director for IT Services, Library of Congress  
• Karen Evans, Principal, KE&T and former Administrator for IT and E-Government, U.S. OMB
• Dennis Heretick, Consultant and former Chief Information Security Officer, Department of Justice
• Erik Hopkins, Professional Staff Member, Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate
• Joe Howard, District Manager, Federal, Websense
• Patrick (Pat) Howard, Director/Chief Information Security Officer, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
• Michele Iversen, Chief, Information Systems Security Engineering (ISSE) Services ( I16), National Security Agency
• Mitchell Komaroff, Director, Globalization Task Force for the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Networks and Information Integration / DoD Chief Information Officer,  Department of Defense
• James Lewis, Director and Senior Fellow, Technology and Public Policy Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies
• Jim Litchko, Senior Security Specialist, Cyber Security Professionals
• Charles (Chuck) McGann, Corporate Information Security Officer, U.S. Postal Service
• Lynn McNulty, former Director of Government Affairs, (ISC)2
  Michael Mestrovich, President, Unlimited New Dimensions and President, Federation for Identity and Cross-Credentialing Systems (FiXs)
• Fred Newberry, , Director of Customer Solutions, Cisco and former Chief Information Security Officer, FBI and former Chief, Information Assurance Section, FBI Security Division
• Marc Noble, Director Government Affairs, (ISC)2 and Senior VP, ISSA-Northern Virginia
• Randy Resnick , Senior Strategist, GIG Information Assurance Portfolio, Department of Defense
• Holly Ridgeway, Deputy Chief Information Security Officer and Director, Justice Security Operations Center, Department of Justice
• Ron Ross, Senior Computer Scientist and Information Security Researcher, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of Commerce
• Daniel Twomey, Cyber Security Consultant