Government Information Security Podcast

The Washington think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies released in December a report from the Commission on Cybersecurity for the 44th Presidency, a bipartisan comprehensive study initiated in 2007 of the cybersecurity challenges the next president would face. Among the commission's recommendation was the creation within the White House of an Office of Cyberspace that would address federal government information challenges. In a two-part interview with GovInfoSecurity.com, commission co-chair Harry Raduege discusses how he sees the Obama administration addressing the panel's recommendations. In Part 1, Raduege explains: The stark reality that the bad guys are winning and our nation is at risk. Why a White House Office of Cyberspace is critically needed to secure federal IT. How the government must change the mindset of federal employees to help assure IT security. Harry D. Raduege Jr., chairman of the Deloitte Center for Network Innovation, is a retired Air Force lieutenant general who served in the military for 35 years. At his retirement, he was director of the Defense Information Systems Agency. Prior to his DISA assignment, Raduege directed command and control systems for North American Aerospace Defense Command, U.S. Space Command and Air Force Space Command. He also served as the chief information officer for all three commands as well as the architect for computer network defense and attack capabilities established within the Department of Defense. Raduege was one of three co-chairs of the Commission on Cybersecurity for the 44th Presidency.

Government Accountability Office auditors will have a busy spring, examining a number of federal government programs aimed at securing government information systems and data. In an interview with GovInfoSecurity.com, Gregory Wilshusen discusses how the GAO is looking at how private industry and two dozen federal agencies employ metrics to measure the effectiveness of information security control activities. Other current GAO information security investigations he discusses include: Federal Desktop Core Configuration intended to standardize security features on personal computers purchased by the government. Trusted Internet Connection initiative aimed at slashing government Internet connections to fewer than 100 from more than 2,000. Einstein automated networking monitoring program run by U.S Computer Emergency Readiness Team. Gregory Wilshusen is director of information security issues at GAO, where he leads information security-related studies and audits of the federal government. He has more than 26 years of auditing, financial management and information systems experience. Before joining GAO in 1997, Wilshusen served as a senior systems analyst at the Department of Education as well as the controller for the North Carolina Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources.

Government Accountability Office auditors will have a busy spring, examining a number of federal government programs aimed at securing government information systems and data. In an interview with GovInfoSecurity.com, Gregory Wilshusen discusses how the GAO is looking at how private industry and two dozen federal agencies employ metrics to measure the effectiveness of information security control activities. Other current GAO information security investigations he discusses include: Federal Desktop Core Configuration intended to standardize security features on personal computers purchased by the government. Trusted Internet Connection initiative aimed at slashing government Internet connections to fewer than 100 from more than 2,000. Einstein automated networking monitoring program run by U.S Computer Emergency Readiness Team. Gregory Wilshusen is director of information security issues at GAO, where he leads information security-related studies and audits of the federal government. He has more than 26 years of auditing, financial management and information systems experience. Before joining GAO in 1997, Wilshusen served as a senior systems analyst at the Department of Education as well as the controller for the North Carolina Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources.

As Congress tackles reforming the Federal Information Security and Management Act, known as FISMA, provisions in the new legislation likely will more precisely define responsibility for departmental and agency information security. In this exclusive interview, cybersecurity expert Paul Kurtz, chief information office of Good Harbor Consulting, explains: How a lack of accountability hinders safeguarding federal government information; Why officials who fail to properly assure government data often go unpunished; Why these leaders should be fired when an information security breach occurs. Paul Kurtz served in senior positions on the White House's National Security and Homeland Security Councils under Presidents Clinton and Bush and advised President Obama during the transition. Among his government posts: senior director for national security of the National Security Council's Office of Cyberspace Security; member of the president's Critical Infrastructure Protection Board, where he developed the international component of the National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace; and director for counterterrorism in NSC's Office of Transnational Threats.

As Congress tackles reforming the Federal Information Security and Management Act, known as FISMA, provisions in the new legislation likely will more precisely define responsibility for departmental and agency information security. In this exclusive interview, cybersecurity expert Paul Kurtz, chief information office of Good Harbor Consulting, explains: How a lack of accountability hinders safeguarding federal government information; Why officials who fail to properly assure government data often go unpunished; Why these leaders should be fired when an information security breach occurs. Paul Kurtz served in senior positions on the White House's National Security and Homeland Security Councils under Presidents Clinton and Bush and advised President Obama during the transition. Among his government posts: senior director for national security of the National Security Council's Office of Cyberspace Security; member of the president's Critical Infrastructure Protection Board, where he developed the international component of the National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace; and director for counterterrorism in NSC's Office of Transnational Threats.

Fearful of man-made, natural and pandemic disasters, organizations everywhere are adopting or improving business continuity/disaster recovery programs. And at Norwich University, there now is a Master's of Science in Business Continuity program for mid-career professionals to hone their skills in this in-demand area. In an exclusive interview, John Orlando, MSBC Program Director at Norwich University, talks about the school's Master's of Science in Business Continuity, discussing: What's unique about this program; Requirements for students entering the program; How the MSBC will evolve to meet industry/government needs.

Fearful of man-made, natural and pandemic disasters, organizations everywhere are adopting or improving business continuity/disaster recovery programs. And at Norwich University, there now is a Master's of Science in Business Continuity program for mid-career professionals to hone their skills in this in-demand area. In an exclusive interview, John Orlando, MSBC Program Director at Norwich University, talks about the school's Master's of Science in Business Continuity, discussing: What's unique about this program; Requirements for students entering the program; How the MSBC will evolve to meet industry/government needs.

It's become a cliché: Information security professionals need to get closer to the business. Now it's also a Master's degree program in which instructors base their whole curriculum on helping security professionals get closer to - and rise higher in the ranks of - their companies and agencies. In an exclusive interview, John Orlando, MSBC Program Director at Norwich University, talks about the school's Masters of Science in Information Assurance, discussing: What's unique about this program; Requirements for students entering the program; How the MSIA helps security professionals advance their careers.

It's become a cliché: Information security professionals need to get closer to the business. Now it's also a Master's degree program in which instructors base their whole curriculum on helping security professionals get closer to - and rise higher in the ranks of - their companies and agencies. In an exclusive interview, John Orlando, MSBC Program Director at Norwich University, talks about the school's Masters of Science in Information Assurance, discussing: What's unique about this program; Requirements for students entering the program; How the MSIA helps security professionals advance their careers.

The Heartland Payment Systems data breach is on everyone's mind, and the case is in the hands now of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) if it chooses to investigate. While the FTC will neither confirm nor deny a Heartland investigation, staff attorney Alain Sheer does offer his insight on: How the FTC investigates data breaches like Heartland's; The timeline and milestones of such an investigation; Details of the CardSystems data breach - which closely resembles Heartland's.

The Heartland Payment Systems data breach is on everyone's mind, and the case is in the hands now of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) if it chooses to investigate. While the FTC will neither confirm nor deny a Heartland investigation, staff attorney Alain Sheer does offer his insight on: How the FTC investigates data breaches like Heartland's; The timeline and milestones of such an investigation; Details of the CardSystems data breach - which closely resembles Heartland's.

Reform legislation is expected to be introduced this spring to update the Federal Information Security and Management Act, known as FISMA. A major complaint about FISMA is that complying with its rules does not necessarily guarantee departmental and agency information systems are secure. In this exclusive interview, Sen. Tom Carper, chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services and International Security, discusses: Key provisions in the bill to improve ways to measure and determine the security of federal government information systems; Efforts to create a government-wide Chief Information Security Officer Council; His views on the most pressing cybersecurity challenges facing the nation: identity theft and the viability of financial institutions and threats by foreign nations to federal information systems. Tom Carper has held elective office for 32 consecutive years, ever since 1976 when Delaware voters tapped him to be state treasurer. In 1982, the Democrat was elected to the House of Representatives. After serving five terms in the House, voters elected him as governor in 1992 and again in 1996. Carper was elected to the Senate in 2000 and reelected in 2006. Besides chairing the subcommittee that provides oversight for federal government information security, Carper heads the Clean Air and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee and serves on the Finance Committee. He also is the Deputy Whip of the Senate's Democratic Party majority.

Reform legislation is expected to be introduced this spring to update the Federal Information Security and Management Act, known as FISMA. A major complaint about FISMA is that complying with its rules does not necessarily guarantee departmental and agency information systems are secure. In this exclusive interview, Sen. Tom Carper, chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services and International Security, discusses: Key provisions in the bill to improve ways to measure and determine the security of federal government information systems; Efforts to create a government-wide Chief Information Security Officer Council; His views on the most pressing cybersecurity challenges facing the nation: identity theft and the viability of financial institutions and threats by foreign nations to federal information systems. Tom Carper has held elective office for 32 consecutive years, ever since 1976 when Delaware voters tapped him to be state treasurer. In 1982, the Democrat was elected to the House of Representatives. After serving five terms in the House, voters elected him as governor in 1992 and again in 1996. Carper was elected to the Senate in 2000 and reelected in 2006. Besides chairing the subcommittee that provides oversight for federal government information security, Carper heads the Clean Air and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee and serves on the Finance Committee. He also is the Deputy Whip of the Senate's Democratic Party majority.

The number of identity fraud victims has increased 22 percent in the U.S., costing 9.9 million victims a total of $48 billion in 2008. This is the news from the fifth annual Identity Fraud Survey Report from Javelin Strategy & Research. In an exclusive interview, James Van Dyke, Javelin founder and President, discusses: Highlights - and surprises - from the study; What it all means to banking institutions; Trends for institutions and their consumers to watch for in 2009.

The number of identity fraud victims has increased 22 percent in the U.S., costing 9.9 million victims a total of $48 billion in 2008. This is the news from the fifth annual Identity Fraud Survey Report from Javelin Strategy & Research. In an exclusive interview, James Van Dyke, Javelin founder and President, discusses: Highlights - and surprises - from the study; What it all means to banking institutions; Trends for institutions and their consumers to watch for in 2009.