This week the Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology held a Lunch and Learn called “Securing Data for Today’s Federal Agency” which focused on the increasingly daunting task of protecting federal data in an age of information sharing and increased threats both inside and outside an agency. An all-star cast of current and former federal agency leaders along with ICIT Fellows and industry partners shared cutting edge strategies, technologies and best practices to guide agencies through the uncertainty they face as they work to protect their assets.

Some of the key takeaways from the session included:

1. The importance of encrypting your data using technologies that enable the data owner to revoke access

2. Understanding the difference between secure information sharing and creating cultures of trusted information sharing

3. Accepting that there is no way to prevent data leakage from happening, so the mindset must change to ‘how do I gain better control over data knowing I will eventually lose control?”

4. The importance of integrating the various security products an agency uses into one security system, and taking the knowledge gleaned from that system and delivering it into the hands of end users who can use it to make decisions to protect the network and its assets

5. The emergence of predictive technologies like Behavioral Analytics which are providing agencies the ability to foresee breaches and prevent them from occurring

A special thanks to our Fellow Dan Skinner (Federal Practice Manager, WatchDox by Blackberry) and to Richard Spires (CEO, Resilient Networks; Former CIO, U.S. Department of Homeland Security) for hosting the Luncheon.

Click here to view Photos from the event.

Click here to view slides from Richard Spires Keynote.