NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY AND RESILIENCE MONTH!

Dear HSToday Community,

As we look ahead to November, I’m excited to kick off Homeland Security Today’s National Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month efforts. It’s an honor to lead this important initiative — one that shines a spotlight on the people, partnerships, and innovations that keep our nation secure.

As a current Chief Security Officer (CSO) with cybersecurity, physical security, and resilience responsibilities, I see the threats facing critical infrastructure owners and operators every day. While we’ve made meaningful relationships under “blue sky” conditions, I am often reminded of the important partnership between the public and private sectors in protecting our critical infrastructure.

As we champion “collective defense”, we rightly recognize that infrastructure owners are on the front lines of the modern-day battlefield, and everyone’s help is required. My aim is to raise awareness and increase collaboration between the private sector, Intelligence and National Security partners, law enforcement, and academia.

Coming off Cybersecurity Awareness Month, it only makes sense that we now turn our focus to protecting critical Infrastructure. Today, the threat landscape is blended, and we must embrace “convergence” while holistically embracing the IT/OT/Physical security disciplines. Cyber-attacks can have operational impacts, and physical attacks can lead to losing critical cyber systems.

During the month of November, I personally will be focused on several current and emerging issues. Issues such as continuous monitoring of our IT and Industrial Control Systems, Artificial Intelligence, insider threats, the evolution 3rd Party Risk Management, and how China is targeting U.S. infrastructure prior to a telegraphed attack on Taiwan. These are big issues, but I would also add: is a terror-attack likely given the porous border not long ago? Can we ensure that nation-state adversaries don’t leap-frog the U.S. bio-economy, and can we mitigate risk to the digital ecosystem by building America/buying American?

As a reader of Homeland Security Today, you know that we work to amplify DHS’ awareness months by encouraging you to share your insights, experiences, and best practices with colleagues and others in the HSToday readership. For the past 10 years, we have worked to create a platform for homeland security leaders, experts, and practitioners to learn the latest thought leadership on the most important issues facing our country.

We’re proud to say that your contributions are cited by law enforcement, Chief Information Security Officers, emergency managers, and counterterrorism experts around the world.  Only at HSToday do you have a cadre of experts who have practiced in both the public and private sectors sharing their experiences to protect the nation through information sharing and intelligent, pragmatic problem-solving.

We cover some of the most important, and least covered, challenges for our nation. And that is why your contributions are so critical. Share with us your stress-tested advice and wisdom!

I invite you to share your advice and expertise here at Homeland Security Today. 

If you have an idea, we are extremely interested in hearing it. If you have a best practice that should be shared across our community, please share it. HSToday wants you to share what you see emerging over the horizon, a “lesson learned” from your experience, or just your opinion about the homeland security enterprise.

Thank you for your service on the front lines. Thank you for reading HSToday and please do not hesitate to reach out to us with any ideas or suggestions.