Please join us to contribute during National Cybersecurity Awareness Month!

National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

A Special Invitation to contribute to NCSAM from

Antonio J. Villafana

 

Former Chief Information Officer

Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

2016-2019

Good morning

 

I am proud to welcome all of our esteemed readers and supporters to National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. On this 20th anniversary of 9/11 I am all too aware of the need to protect data, information, and other digital assets. Since that life altering day, cyber has evolved to be one of the foremost threats to our nation. Read more on where we are in our c"State of Cybersecurity" commemorating 9/11.

 

I was honored to be asked to lead Homeland Security Today’s efforts to

help our community share information and exchange best practices in cybersecurity. As the previous CIO of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Office at the Department of Homeland Security, I’ve been tracking how ransomware and other cyber attacks have threatened our critical infrastructure numerous times this year alone – oil pipelines, water systems, hospitals, and so much more have been attacked successfully and put on the defensive. 

 

It’s time to turn the tables. And it will take all of us to do it.

 

Over the pandemic we’ve seen that our government seamlessly moved their workforce to a remote operating environment. And with that arise new challenges for protecting remote systems, mobile devices, and even insider threats.

 

What we at Homeland Security Today are asking you this year is to help us get ahead of these threats. As a practitioner, expert, leader in our community your ideas and contributions will be what sets us apart, moves us away from constantly playing defense.

 

We have a unique and exciting opportunity to share what we’ve learned and pivot to face the next challenges facing our enterprises.

 

During National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, I invite you to contribute your experiences, best practices, your advice and your counsel to others in our community so that no matter where they sit – federal, state, tribal, local CIOs, CISOs, administrators, programmers, etc. – all can avoid simple mistakes, or better yet plug a vulnerability or recognize, stop, and thwart an attack.

 

I look forward to reading your submissions for NCSAM this year. Although HSToday focuses much of our editorial attention to cyber during October, I believe you all know what we do throughout the year and invite your continued contributions.

 

Thank you for considering this and I hope to see your advice and expertise as part of this ongoing mission.

 

Very respectfully,

 

Antonio

 

Antonio Villafana

Former Chief Information Officer

Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction

U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2016-2019

Submit your piece to Bridget Johnson

BJohnson@gtscoalition.com