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Steve Meckl Managing Director at Accenture Security Speaking at Next Mason Cybersecurity Innovation Forum April 20

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Please join us for the George Mason University Cybersecurity Innovation Forum on April 20, 2022 from 7-9pm at the Country Club of Fairfax. The Forum will consist of a series of 15-20 minute case study presentations by cybersecurity experts and technology innovators followed by a Q&A. The focus of the events is on cybersecurity innovation including innovation rationale and motivation, technology, metrics, and lessons learned.

Speakers:

Dr. Steve Meckl, Managing Director at Accenture Security will present Deep Dive on Security Posture. In this talk, Steve Meckl will provide an overview of how Accenture Managed Extended Detection and Response (MxDR), leverages emerging cybersecurity threat intelligence, data analytics, the MITRE ATT&CK framework, and their unique global view of live attacks to drive a strategic approach to defending global computer networks.

Steve Meckl is the global delivery lead for Accenture Managed Extended Detection and Response (MxDR), responsible for monitoring some of the world’s largest and most complex networks for sophisticated cybersecurity threats.

Before joining Accenture, Dr. Meckl was Unit Chief of the FBI Cyber Division’s Technical Operations Unit. In that role, he led the Cyber Action Team (CAT), FBI’s elite cyber incident response team. He also created and led the Cyber Denial & Deception program, a team of engineers and Agents responsible for developing cutting-edge tools and technologies aimed at disrupting Advanced Persistent Threat groups targeting critical US networks. As a Unit Chief in FBI Cyber Division, Dr. Meckl received the 2014 Director’s Award for Outstanding Technical Advancement, the most prestigious award given to FBI Agents. He also received the 2015 High Impact Leader Award, recognizing excellence in leadership within the FBI.

Prior to his US Government experience, Dr. Meckl was a security software engineer, designing secure systems and protocols for high-availability web services and Windows desktop environments. Dr. Meckl received his PhD in Computer Science at George Mason University and his MS in Information Security and Assurance from George Mason University and BSE Computer Engineering from University of Michigan.

Follow us on Twitter @MasonCyber for more up-to-date discussions on cybersecurity and innovation.

George Mason University’s (GMU) Volgenau School of Engineering’s CARE Center and School of Business sponsor the events.

The Cybersecurity Innovation Forum Series is generously supported by Accenture.

Please RSVP here https://aprilmasoncyberforum.eventbrite.com

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CAR Technology Entrepreneurship & ICT Leadership Accelerator Bringing the ‘Economic Miracle’ to Central African Republic

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https://cartechleadership.eventbrite.com

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Research Spotlight on J.P. Auffret

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Research Spotlight on J.P. Auffret

Faculty Spotlight: J.P. Auffret

J.P. Auffret, Ph.D. is the director of the Center for Assurance Research and Engineering (CARE) in the College of Engineering and Computing and the director of the Research Partnerships and Grants Initiatives in the School of Business at George Mason University.  

The Institute for Digital InnovAtion talked with Auffret about CARE. Responses have been edited.  

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

Tell us about the Center.  

The Center for Assurance Research and Engineering (CARE) in the College of Computing and Engineering is a multidisciplinary, research-to-practice center. The Center is about 10 years old and was started by Dr. Angelos Stavrou. We have a range of technical, policy, leadership and management projects/initiatives and have partnerships with governments, private sector companies and NGOs in the U.S. 

The strength of the Center is its faculty, affiliates and partners and its multidisciplinary and international scope. For example, Dr. Eric Osterweil is doing fascinating work on the DNS-based Authentication of Named Entities (DANE) and its potential applications to medical devices (and other) security; Dr. Daniel Barbara has great expertise in data mining and machine learning and has, for example, played integral roles in a DARPA project and also on a Commonwealth Cyber Initiative project both having a focus on ascertaining device compromise from changes in electromagnetic fields; Dr. Duminda Wijeskera is a world leader in train security and is currently researching the potential of 5G for autonomous vehicles and our traffic signaling system, and Dr. Ita Lochard is utilizing her cyber policy expertise and partnering with Dr. Lin Wells II in leading a NATO project on information environment assessment. The Center also has senior fellows and research affiliates. 

Other interesting current projects include a National Science Foundation project to strengthen the cybersecurity of local governments through local and state government partnering. The idea behind the project is that many local governments have small budgets and limited IT expertise, but they face the same cyber risks as larger, local governments. Partnering has great potential but there are often institutional barriers that preclude local government cybersecurity partnering; the project is examining the potential for local government cyber security partnering in the governance, staffing and policy areas, amongst others. For the project, we’re quite engaged with state and local governments, primarily in West Virginia and Virginia, but also in Kentucky and Ohio, and we are expanding beyond those locations.  

Another interesting current project is through the State Department for a Technology Entrepreneurship and ICT Leadership Accelerator pilot in the Central African Republic. We are working with Serge Adouaka, a 2019 Humphrey Fellow who spent his Humphrey Fellowship Professional Affiliation with us and developed the concept. We have a wonderful initial cohort of about 20 companies including from Agriculture Tech and FinTech.  

The research done in CARE has led to a spin out company, Angelos Stavrou’s Kryptowire, which is doing really well. 

What kinds of projects are funded?  

Technical, cybersecurity and technology leadership and management, and policy. The main funding agencies are/have been the National Science Foundation, DARPA, Department of State, NATO and the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative. We have had projects with the NSA and NIST too, and we have some from the private sector as well. 

How do your projects impact other disciplines?      

Many of our projects have elements of technology, but also business, leadership, and public policy. Many current cyber challenges are multidisciplinary including, for example, in the medical field and for critical infrastructure, such as electric and water companies. 

What projects would you like to be reached out to for potential collaborations?  

We are very oriented to partnerships and collaborations, whether it be cyber security or IT leadership and governance or applications of emerging technologies, and we continue to try to expand our partnerships internationally. We are planning to do more with the cybersecurity of medical devices and on digital currencies. 

We’re very appreciative to the Institute for Digital InnovAtion and executive director Dr. Kamaljeet Sanghera’s vision for innovation in the region and beyond, the role of George Mason, and initiatives to foster research and academia – private sector – government partnerships. 

What keywords describe your research?     

Multidisciplinary, research-to-practice, applications of emerging technologies, cyber security policy 

How does your Center help bring the Mason community together?  

As I am in both the School of Business and in CARE in the College of Engineering and Computing, many initiatives are joint. 

For example, in conjunction with the School of Business, we have a Cybersecurity Innovation Forum speaker series that is in its 10th year with five evening events per year. Usually, the events are in person at the Fairfax Country Club, and we have about 125 industry and government attendees. We have had some wonderful speakers over the years and just went back to in-person events in September. 

Also, in conjunction with the School of Business, we usually have a quite large annual conference (not in the last year-and-a-half to two years though) related to the topic of cybersecurity leadership and management that draws between 200 to 300 people, mostly from the region, but also from across the U.S. and abroad. 

We collaborate with quite a few other universities and have international connections that foster partnering with the Mason community. We have collaborations with universities across the Asia Pacific in Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Korea; in India; in Africa in the Central African Republic, Nigeria and a new partnership in Madagascar; as well as partnerships in Europe, South America and the Mid-East. 

How can you be reached?  

You can reach me via email at jauffret@gmu.edu and by office phone: x5641.  

Article was published here: https://idia.gmu.edu/research-spotlight-on-j-p-auffret/

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Bringing the ‘economic miracle’ to Central African Republic November 2nd, 2021 / By Benjamin Kessler

Serge Adouaka-Ngoimale worked with Mason's J.P. Auffret (right) to learn more about information and communication technology during his six-week stay at the university Photo by Lathan Goumas/Strategic Communications

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In 2019, Serge Adouaka, an IT executive from Central African Republic (CAR), paid a six-week visit to George Mason University as part of his Humphrey Fellowship, a Fulbright-affiliated program for scholars and professionals from developing countries. His Mason host was J. P. Auffret, who directs both the Center for Assurance Research and Engineering (CARE) in Mason’s College of Engineering and Computing and the Research Partnerships and Grant Initiative for Mason’s School of Business. This short stint laid the groundwork of a lasting partnership between the two that may help foster economic growth in one of the world’s most challenging contexts.

Adouaka was the seventh Humphrey Fellow to be hosted by Auffret, who believes that information and communication technology (ICT) “for development and entrepreneurship is a good path to enable careers and raise a country’s per-capita GDP and standard of living while reducing poverty.”

During Adouaka’s time at Mason, the pair explored how ICT ecosystem development could point the way toward a brighter future for CAR. Adouaka returned home inspired and determined to put these ideas into action.

He worked with Mason and the University of Bangui to launch an accelerator for CAR-based tech founders and start-up managers. The U.S. State Department has provided funding for the project. Participants in the three-month program receive mentoring from the Mason community, as well as from experienced professionals within the CAR and neighboring countries.

The initial cohort of 20 entrants represents a wide range of areas, including agriculture tech, health and geographic systems, computer design, system integration, IT placement, video games and financial technology (fintech). Their primary goal for the three months is to devise a “next-step” plan for achieving scale, with the help of their mentors.

It is also hoped, however, that by forming relationships with other accelerator participants and mentors from CAR and beyond, they will foster a culture of entrepreneurship in the small African country and build strong professional networks that are more than the sum of their parts.

Almost as soon as the program began, there were hints that this was starting to happen. Recently, participants decided to hold some meetings face-to-face at the University of Bangui instead of remotely. The final presentation that officially concludes the program’s first iteration—where participants will unveil their future plans—will also be an in-person event.

CAR’s small population and challenging rural terrain mean that networking across national borders is essential for fueling future business growth. Any viable plan for scale must involve penetrating regional markets outside CAR. Sub-Saharan Africa has an increasing number of regional role models. For example, five-year-old Nigerian fintech unicorn Flutterwave has expanded to 20 African countries and even has an office in San Francisco (so it can tap into the $48 billion remittances business driven by the sub-Saharan Africa diaspora). Microloan app Tala launched in Kenya in 2014 and has since spread to the Philippines, Mexico and India.

To be sure, CAR has unique challenges. It has experienced only intermittent intervals of peace in its 61 years as an independent nation. To this day, the government and people, security forces and U.N. peacekeepers struggle to quell rebel violence and stabilize the country. Amid these volatile conditions, CAR has been left out of the economic growth enjoyed by many other sub-Saharan countries. Rwanda, for example, is on a path to becoming an upper-middle-income country within 15 years despite the turbulence of its recent history. Could CAR, too, join in the “African economic miracle”?

Auffret cites CAR’s increasing mobile phone adoption as a meaningful sign of hope. Mobile technologies enable developing countries to leapfrog the need for heavy physical infrastructure such as telephone wires and bank branches.

Also, Auffret says that underdeveloped countries like CAR may also be able to use their relatively open regulatory environment to gain an advantage in commercial drone technology. Already, companies in Kenya and Nigeria are widely deploying drones for last mile delivery, cartography and other business purposes.

In the meantime, ambitions run high for the Mason accelerator. With the initial three-month program nearly concluded, plans for the second cohort are underway. Eventually, Auffret and Adouaka would like to secure support from private companies, both in Africa and the United States.

Another short-term goal is to recruit major international development agencies as venture partners. Auffret expects these influential parties will share his view that the uncertain security situation in CAR makes this accelerator—and ICT innovation in general—an urgent priority for the country.

“Increasingly the Mason mission is to contribute and have impact globally, and this project is one of many Mason initiatives aligned with the U.N. Strategic Development Goals,” Auffret said. “Through international work, such as this accelerator, one can gain a better sense of the wonder of the world, as well as make a contribution to the well-being of societies.”

For the article, please go to: https://www.gmu.edu/news/2021-11/bringing-economic-miracle-central-african-republic

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West Virginia Local and State Government Election Security and Cybersecurity Workshop

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When: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 21st, 2020 (Lunch is included)

Where: Flatwoods Days Inn & Suites and Conference Center, Sutton, WV

Who should attend: State and local government administrators, state and local government election officials, county clerks, IT and cybersecurity managers and personnel, election experts, police and emergency IT managers and personnel.

Hosts and Organizers: West Virginia Office of Technology, State of West Virginia Secretary of State, WVNET, George Mason University, and the National Science Foundation. 

Registration is free, but required at https://wvcyberworkshop.wvnet.edu/

About the Workshop: The objective of the West Virginia Local and State Government Election Security and Cybersecurity Workshop is to further awareness and foster dialog on West Virginia state and local government election administration, as well as planning for the May 12th Primary and November 3rd General 2020 elections.  The workshop will consider the complete election cycle from pre-election, election day to post-election from the perspectives of all stakeholders in the election ecosystem, including citizens, state and local government officials, technical and IT staff, third party technology companies, DHS and CISA, U.S. government agencies and law enforcement.   The workshop will address “who to turn to” in different circumstances and contingencies.  In addition, the workshop will review the recent West Virginia Senate Bill 94 – “Providing persons with physical disabilities ability to vote by electronic absentee ballot”.

Speakers will include Josh Spence, West Virginia Chief Technology Officer; Danielle Cox, West Virginia, Chief Information Security Officer; David Tackett, CIO, Office of West Virginia Secretary of State;  Ben Gilbert, Cybersecurity Advisor – Region III (VA, DC, WV), U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency; and Greg Herbold, Director, State/Local Government & Education, Palo Alto Networks.

The Mason-NSF project has co-hosted nine successful local and state government cybersecurity partnership workshops in Virginia and West Virginia and including Kentucky and Ohio between 2017 and 2020.

 

Photo: West Virginia State Capitol Building

Picture Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org

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CIOs and IT Executive Leadership – From Engineering Education to Innovations in ICT and Technology Webinar with Dr. J.P. Auffret

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This article comes from The International Federation of Engineering Education Societies Webinar Series.

The rapid development and adoption of mobiles and Internet have had major impacts on society and ICT is now a key component of national development in healthcare, education, financial services, smart cities and poverty reduction. Newer technologies including AI, robotics and blockchain also will potentially have major ramifications for society. With this increasing role of technology often as part of digital transformation programs, the role of the CIO has increasingly become strategic and governments are undertaking initiatives to strengthen institutional capacity for ICT executive leadership.

The talk reviews the latest innovations in mobiles, robotics, AI, drones and blockchain and other new technologies in the context of the evolution of the role of CIOs and development of CIO institutions. What are current and potential applications, related challenges, possible future development paths, policy considerations and potential societal ramifications? How are the roles of CIO and related CIO institutions developing and adapting to the increasing possibility with greater risk and challenge of technology innovation and adoption? And how are engineering and university education changing to adapt for current and future students as well as to facilitate life long learning for graduates.

Speaker // Dr. J.P. Auffret Co-founder and Vice President International Academy of CIO

J.P. Auffret is co-founder and vice president of the International Academy of CIO. In addition, he is associate director, Center for Assurance Research and Engineering in the Volgenau School of Engineering and director, research partnerships in the School of Business at George Mason University. Auffret’s work and research span a range of applied technology fields including CIO and technology leadership, ICT governance, and cybersecurity leadership and with organizations including APEC, NSF and IBM. In addition, he has worked with World Bank and ITU on mobile and ICT for Development. His experience includes executive positions with MCI and its joint venture with British Telecom, Concert and academic positions with George Mason, Duke University’s Center for International Development and as physicist-in-residence at American University. Auffret earned a B.S. from Duke University where he was an A.B. Duke Scholar, M.B.A. from the University of Virginia and Ph.D. in Physics from American University.

For the webinar, please go here: https://youtu.be/ARudSRBzS0Y

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Call for Papers Open Now for 15th Annual IAC Conference April 2021, at GMU in Arlington, VA, U.S.

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Technology Leadership and Policy in the Age of AI, Blockchain, Robotics and 5G

The 15th International Academy of CIO Annual Conference is being held April 2021 in Arlington, VA U.S.A. and is being held at a time of great technology related opportunity and risk. With AI, Blockchain and 5G, there is opportunity in new product and services and also new industries that bridge time and space and enable greater access and speed in fields as diverse as government, healthcare, transportation and manufacturing.

And there are risks including in the fields of cybersecurity and privacy and also digital divide.

As with previous International Academy of CIO annual conferences, the 15th Annual Conference will address the potential and challenge of new technologies and applications to major world challenges such ICT and natural disasters and major world trends including ageing society and urbanization.

For the 15th Annual Conference, we are inviting research and practitioner papers and innovations related to the conference theme of “Technology Leadership and Policy in the Age of AI, Blockchain and 5G” and encompassing:

• Challenges of ICT innovation, governance and capacity building
• Strengthening leadership and institutions
• Application of new technologies including blockchain and AI
• Associated policy and policy development
• Risks including security, privacy and digital divide.

About the International Academy of CIO (IAC): The IAC or International Academy of CIO was founded in 2006 in Japan by co-founders including Japan, USA, Indonesia, Philippines, Switzerland, and Thailand. The IAC members, partnerships, and alliances now span all regions with economies such as China, Cambodia, Netherlands, India, Korea, Laos, Hong Kong, Macao, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, Nigeria, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Italy, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. The IAC has active participation from more than 50 countries and partners with NGOs and multilateral organizations including APEC, OECD and ITU.

The IAC promotes and facilitates CIO and IT Executive leadership education and education standards; government CIO and IT governance policies and institution building related to CIOs and CIO Councils; and application and innovation of ICT such as mobile, IoT and blockchain in areas including ICT and ageing society, smart cities, and ICT and natural disasters.

The IAC publishes the annual Waseda University – IAC Digital Government Rankings now in its 14th year and the Journal of CIO and Digital Innovation. The IAC also partners with IOS Press on a Global E-Governance book series. In education, the IAC accredits CIO master’s degree programs and provides CIO certificates to graduates as well as directly partnering on training through the Asia CIO University Network on topics including CIO and data science. The IAC hosts an annual conference and partners on conferences and workshops with governments and NGOs such as APECTEL, OECD and U.N. For more information, please go to: www.iacio.org.

About the International Academy of CIO Annual Conference: The IAC Annual Conference brings together government, private sector and academia participants to discuss and exchange ideas and best practices on ICT leadership and governance in light of rapidly changing technology. The conferences are research to practice oriented in that the talks and presentations include both strategy and practice talks and presentations by government leaders, private sector executives and NGO leaders as well as research related talks by academics.
In addition, the conferences focus on major world challenges and opportunities where ICT has the potential to contribute including the two topics of ageing society and natural disasters. The conferences are well attended by speakers and participants from around the world and are highlighted by active host government support and engagement.

Paper Topics and Important Dates:
Papers are invited that contribute to the conference sessions of:
• CIO and Digital Transformation of Economy
• Innovations in Digital Government
• Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and the Digital Future
• Cybersecurity
• Blockchain for Government
• E-Participation.

Submitted papers may refer to four dimensions of innovation, analyzed by clear data driven methods:
• Social and economic context innovations and issues: ageing society, urban transformation, healthcare system challenges, natural disasters, government’s role evolution, industry transformation, policy agendas, emerging business models, etc;
• Citizens’, patients’ and customers’ changing value drivers: empowerment, co-creation, online behavior and expectations, etc;
• Technology development and Management: challenges and ramifications of rapidly developing technologies such as robotics, autonomous vehicles and artificial intelligence and major challenges such as capacity building, cyber-security, big data.
• CIO new skills and roles: Government CIO, Business CIO, CIO core competences, innovative management.

Application Timelines:
Please submit to: Luca Buccoliero at: luca.buccoliero@unibocconi.it, Elena Bellio at: elena.bellio@unibocconi.it and J.P. Auffret at: jauffret@gmu.edu.

For more IAC Call for Papers Informatino, please go to: https://iacio.org/call-for-paper-open-now-for-14th-iac-annual-conference-sept-19-taipei/.

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West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky Local and State Government Cybersecurity Partnering Workshop Agenda

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West Virginia-Ohio-Kentucky Local and State Government Cybersecurity Partnership Workshop

When: 9:30am- 4:00pm, Tuesday, October 29th, 2019 (Lunch is included)

Where: BRAD D. SMITH FOUNDATION HALL – 519 John Marshall Drive – Huntington, WV 25703

Who should attend: State and local government administrators, IT and cybersecurity managers and personnel, public school IT and cybersecurity managers and personnel, police and emergency IT managers and personnel, SCADA systems experts (water, sewer, electricity, etc.)

Hosts and Organizers: West Virginia Office of Technology, WVNET, George Mason University, Marshall University Brad D. Smith School of Business and the National Science Foundation.

Registration is free, but required at https://wvcyberworkshop.wvnet.edu/ .    

 

Meeting Agenda:

  1. Louisville Metro Government
  2. Welcome and Introductions
  3. Commonwealth of Kentucky Cybersecurity Initiatives, Charles Grindle, CIO, Commonwealth of Kentucky
  4. State of West Virginia Cybersecurity Initiatives – Josh Spence, CTO, State of West Virginia
  5. Local Government Technology Innovation, Smart Cities and Cybersecurity Programs – Chris Seidt, CIO, Louisville Metro Government and James Meece, CISO,Department of Homeland Security cybersecurity programs for local governments – Ben Gilbert, Cybersecurity Advisor – Region III (VA, DC, WV), U.S. DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

Lunch Break

  1. Local Government Cybersecurity Strategies and Challenges – Mark Conrad, Information Technology Director, Fairfield County, Ohio; Garrett Bradlyn, IT Director, City of Parkersburg, West Virginia
  2. Cybersecurity, State Infrastructure and Resources and WVNET, Ron Hamilton, CISO, WVNET
  3. Future Local Government Cybersecurity Platform Discussion – Greg Herbold, Director, State/Local Government & Education, Palo Alto Networks
  4. Local Government Ransomware Scenario Exercise – J.P. Auffret, George Mason and Ben Gilbert, Cybersecurity Advisor – Region III (VA, DC, WV), U.S. DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
  5. Closing and Next Steps

About the Workshop: The objective of the West Virginia-Ohio-Kentucky workshop is to develop specific recommendations to strengthen local and state government cybersecurity governance and to facilitate cybersecurity partnering between local and state governments. The workshop is part of the George Mason-National Science Foundation Cybersecurity City and County Cross Jurisdictional Collaboration project, having the goal of furthering U.S. city and county cybersecurity efforts by developing foundations and policies that enable and foster city and county cybersecurity partnerships.

The workshop will also include talks by Josh Spence, West Virginia Chief Technology Officer; Ben Gilbert, Cybersecurity Advisor – Region III (VA, DC, WV), U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency; Greg Herbold, Director, State/Local Government & Education, Palo Alto Networks; Ron Hamilton, CISO and Eric Burgy, Manager from WVNet.

The Mason-NSF project has co-hosted seven successful local government cybersecurity partnership workshops in Virginia and West Virginia between 2017 and 2019.

Click here to read more about the Project

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Scaling Local Government Cybersecurity Article Written by Marissa Da Silva on September 26th, 2019

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Scaling Local Government Cybersecurity – Written by Marissa Da Silva on September 26th, 2019

With the increasing reliance upon information technology, cybersecurity is strategic imperative for communities across the United States. Unfortunately, many cities don’t have sufficient budgets or expertise when it comes to addressing the cybersecurity challenge. Jean-Pierre (J.P) Auffret, director, research partnerships, School of Business has partnered with Angelos Stavrou, Professor, Computer Science and Director, Center for Assurance Research and Engineering in the Volgenau School and Virginia and West Virginia state and local governments to collaborate on cybersecurity and foster regional local government cybersecurity partnerships and initiatives.

The background for the National Science Foundation project is that approximately 60% of the U.S. counties have less than 50,000 residents but “nearly all counties play a critical role in the transportation and infrastructure.” Counties own 46% of the U.S. road miles, 38% of the bridges and in addition are involved in the operation of 34% of public airports, 1,943 health departments, 3,041 police and sheriff’s departments, and utility services such as water and electricity. (National Association of Counties). Many cities and counties are increasingly adopting connected technology not just for administration but also for these critical infrastructure electric, water and transportation systems.

Building upon experiences in public health and public safety, cross-jurisdictional sharing of services is a growing strategy used at local levels to address technology related challenges such as tight budgets and limited expertise. The scalable nature of technology operations makes cybersecurity a good candidate for local government collaborations.
The project’s objective is to enhance U.S. local government cybersecurity by fostering and developing institutional capacity, policies and legislation to further local government cybersecurity partnering and governance; and to facilitate cybersecurity partnering among local governments.

The project kicked off with statewide workshops in Virginia and West Virginia with participants including state and local government administrators, IT and cybersecurity leaders. Virginia Secretary of Homeland Security and Public Safety Brian Moran gave an opening talk at the Virginia workshop and West Virginia Chief Technology Officer Josh Spence and Chief Information Security Officer Danielle Cox partnered on the West Virginia workshop. The statewide workshops identified potential areas for local government cybersecurity partnering including on cybersecurity governance, joint staffing, technology procurement and communications. In addition, the workshops, identified institutional barriers to partnering.

“Local governments are increasingly providing digital citizen services and own and operate critical infrastructure, including water and electricity,” says Auffret. “Cybersecurity partnerships amongst local governments can provide the means to scale and share capability and capacity and better address the cybersecurity threat”.

Project initiatives have also included hosting Virginia regional workshops in Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula; Loudoun County, Frederick County, Purcellville and Leesburg; and Roanoke County regions. Project partners in addition to NSF, the Commonwealth of Virginia and West Virginia governments, include the Department of Homeland Security; Virginia local governments of Arlington County, Essex County, Roanoke County, Loudoun County, Caroline County, Frederick County, Town of Purcellville and Town of Leesburg; and Palo Alto Networks.

Examples of local government cybersecurity collaborations resulting from the project include: adapting Arlington County cybersecurity policies for use by other local governments; developing a Cybersecurity Awareness Messages from the CISO pamphlet; contributing to development of a Commonwealth of Virginia local government cybersecurity points of contact list for the Virginia Fusion Center and developing a Readiness Assessment, Roadmap and Toolkit for local government cybersecurity partnering.

The project is going to further expand to Ohio and Pennsylvania in fall 2019.

http://business.gmu.edu/news/1778-scaling-local-government-cybersecurity/

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14th Annual IAC Conference, “Driving Digital Government Transformation by Innovative Technologies,” to be Held in Taiwan on September 25 -27, 2019, hosted by Taiwan National Development Council, Taiwan E-Governance Research Center and the International Academy of CIO

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The International Academy of CIO (IAC) announces the topic of “Driving Digital Government Transformation by Innovative Technologies,” for the 14th Annual IAC Conference to be held on September 25 -27, 2019 in Taipei, Taiwan, hosted by Taiwan National Development Council and Taiwan E-Governance Research Center.

The conference’s speakers will include Dr. Mei-ling Chen, Minister, National Development Council, Taiwan; Dr. Liang-Gee Chen, Minister, Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan; Dr. Yu-hsieh Sung, Deputy Secretary-General, Executive Yuan, Taiwan; and Professor Toshio Obi, Director, APEC eGovernment Research Center, Waseda University and others from Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas.

Organizers of the conference believe the IAC Conference is being held at a time of great technology related opportunity and risk. Attending the conference will provide many opportunities in new product and services that enable greater access and speed in fields as diverse as government, healthcare, transportation and manufacturing and as part of broad visions such as Japan’s Society 5.0. And, there are risks including in the fields of cybersecurity and privacy and also digital divide.

As with previous International Academy of CIO (IAC) conferences, the Conference will address the potential and challenge of new technologies and applications to major world challenges such as ICT and natural disasters and major world trends including ageing society and urbanization. The IAC Conference continues to bring together government, private sector and academia participants to discuss and exchange ideas and best practices on ICT leadership and governance in light of rapidly changing technology.

For the conference Agenda and to Register, please go to: https://iac2019.ndc.gov.tw.

About the International Academy of CIO (IAC):
The IAC or International Academy of CIO was founded in 2006 in Japan by co-founders including Japan, USA, Indonesia, Philippines, Switzerland and Thailand. The IAC members, partnerships, and alliances now span all regions with economies such as China, Cambodia, Netherlands, India, Korea, Laos, Hong Kong, Macao, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, Nigeria, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Italy, Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The IAC has active participation from more than 50 countries and partners with NGOs and multilateral organizations including APEC, OECD and ITU.

The IAC promotes and facilitates CIO and IT Executive leadership education and education standards; government CIO and IT governance policies and institution building related to CIOs and CIO Councils; and application and innovation of ICT such as mobile, IoT and blockchain in areas including ICT and ageing society, smart cities, and ICT and natural disasters.

The IAC publishes the annual Waseda University – IAC Digital Government Rankings now in its 14th year and the Journal of CIO and Digital Innovation. The IAC also partners with IOS Press on a Global E-Governance book series. In education, the IAC accredits CIO master’s degree programs and provides CIO certificates to graduates as well as directly partnering on training through the Asia CIO University Network on topics including CIO and data science. The IAC hosts an annual conference and partners on conferences and workshops with governments and NGOs such as APECTEL, OECD and U.N. For more information about IAC, please go to: https://iacio.org.

For more information, please contact current IAC President, J.P. Auffret at jauffret@gmu.edu.