The new year began with a new White House executive order on strengthening and promoting innovation in cybersecurity, building on previous efforts, like the National Cybersecurity Strategy, to enhance the security of the nation’s digital infrastructure.

Looking into 2025, Deputy Assistant Director of FBI’s Cyber Division Cynthia Kaiser said her division plans to leverage emerging technology like artificial intelligence to thwart cyber adversaries and better detect threats around critical infrastructure, while aligning with federal policies and directives. Kaiser’s division is also advancing patch management and other AI-enabled technology to boost resiliency.

Kaiser highlighted some of the top exploited vulnerabilities FBI has seen over the recent years, the agency's special partnership with CISA as well as the importance of the “Secure by Design” model to counter cyber attacks.

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The Department of Education is kicking off the second phase of its zero trust strategy by focusing on security orchestration and automation response to stay ahead of the evolving threat landscape.

Education CISO Steven Hernandez discusses how the agency is tailoring its cyber tools and technologies by automating manual processes and leveraging identity, access and credential management (ICAM) solutions to improve the user experience and further zero trust.

Federal agencies are modernizing their cybersecurity strategies as threats continue to evolve. Faced with the National Cybersecurity Strategy, zero-trust implementation and recruiting a cyber workforce, agencies are primed for a busy 2024 in cyber and IT.

Managing Editor Ross Gianfortune and Staff Writer/Researchers Nikki Henderson Whitfield and Jordan McDonald break down some of the biggest developments ahead for federal IT and cyber leaders.

Featured episodes include:

• 7:05: The National Cyber Strategy https://governmentciomedia.com/listen-open-source-software-national-security-priority

• 10:28 The 6 Core Principles Vital to Building a Robust Culture of Cyber Readiness https://governmentciomedia.com/listen-6-core-principles-vital-building-robust-culture-cyber-readiness

• 16:33 How the Pentagon Plans to Fill 30,000 Open Cyber Positions https://governmentciomedia.com/live-afcea-technet-cyber-how-pentagon-plans-fill-30000-open-cyber-positions

• 21:34 National Cyber Strategy Supports a More Resilient Water System https://governmentciomedia.com/listen-national-cyber-strategy-supports-more-resilient-water-system

• 17:15: FEMA is Leveraging AI to Secure Networks https://governmentciomedia.com/listen-fema-leveraging-ai-secure-networks

This episode is sponsored by Zscaler.

The White House released its National Cybersecurity Strategy in March and is ending the year with the first permanent National Cyber Director in nearly a year. On CyberCast, we covered it all.

Take a listen back to some of the highlighted interviews with federal IT leaders, officials and experts this year as CyberCast traveled to Hawaii, California and Maryland. Our team interviewed leaders from agencies including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Environmental Protection Agency.

On this year-end episode of CyberCast, Managing Editor Ross Gianfortune, and Staff Writer/Researchers Jayla Whitfield and Jordan McDonald reflect on the most memorable episodes and cybersecurity topics of 2023.

Featured episodes include:

• 1:45: The National Cyber Strategy https://governmentciomedia.com/listen-open-source-software-national-security-priority

• 7:00 Where the White House Wants Agencies to Prioritize Cybersecurity Investments https://governmentciomedia.com/listen-where-white-house-wants-agencies-prioritize-cybersecurity-investments

• 12:45 How the Pentagon Plans to Fill 30,000 Open Cyber Positions https://governmentciomedia.com/live-afcea-technet-cyber-how-pentagon-plans-fill-30000-open-cyber-positions

• 17:15: The White House Wants to Fix the Cybersecurity Workforce https://governmentciomedia.com/listen-white-house-wants-fix-cybersecurity-workforce

This episode we're diving into zero trust at the Defense Department. Specifically, how that is playing out for the Indo-Pacific region.

We recently had the opportunity to connect with several leaders at the AFCEA TechNet Indo-Pacific conference in Honolulu where they shared with us how they're thinking about this quickly changing landscape and what it means for cybersecurity. This includes an update on DOD's review of submitted zero trust implementation plans, and also a peek at some of those plans at the Air Force and Indopacom.

Featured interviews include:

Randy Resnick, Director, Zero Trust Portfolio Management Office, DOD. https://governmentciomedia.com/dod-zero-trust-chief-were-start-multi-phased-journey

Justin Stolpman, Director, Zero Trust Functional Management Office, Air Force. https://www.governmentciomedia.com/air-force-eyes-next-gen-gateways-amid-zero-trust-plan

Paul Nicholson, Deputy CIO and Executive Director of Coalition Communications, Indopacom. https://governmentciomedia.com/look-zero-trust-theater-indopacom

FEMA is developing prototypes for AI use cases in cybersecurity implementation amid a White House artificial intelligence executive order that directs agencies to establish and maintain standards for safety and security of the technology.

FEMA CISO Gregory Edwards discusses how the rapid pace of AI innovation is spurring partnerships across federal agencies to work together to leverage best practices for their missions.

He also provides an update on the agency’s zero trust journey, how his office is anticipating future of cybersecurity needs and how he’s balancing that with modernization initiatives.

The Environmental Protection Agency is honing in on multiple pillars from the National Cybersecurity Strategy to secure critical infrastructure at its water and waste-water operations.

The agency deems water security to be national security and is an area that needs critical attention. Efforts are underway to increase cyber awareness in the water sector and ensure systems remain resilient.

EPA cybersecurity leaders Douglas Vick and David Travers break down what the threat is to the nation's water systems and how two programs are helping mitigate risks and ensure water services operate without disruption. Additionally, the officials highlight some of the new tools that are helping the agency boost overall cyber resiliency across its workforce.