Global Institute for Cybersecurity (GICSR) Holds First Leadership Conference on Cybersecurity Education Efforts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Orlando, Florida, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) May 6, 2011 -- Orlando, Florida. (May 6, 2011) – The Global Institute for Cybersecurity and Research (GICSR) held a National Critical Infrastructure & Key Resources (CIKR) Cybersecurity Education Leadership Conference April 20-21 in Orlando, Florida. Government, industry, certification, and academic leaders participated in strategic planning discussions to support development and implementation of “core” and “sector-specific” CIKR Cybersecurity Education Frameworks. Initiative goals and objectives include collaborative partnerships supporting:

• The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) – A national campaign to promote cybersecurity awareness and digital literacy from our boardrooms to our classrooms and to build a digital (cybersecurity) workforce for the 21st century. http://nist.gov/nice.
• The National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC) – Chartering a course for public and private sectors to collaborate to raise the level of trust associated with the identifies of individuals, organizations, networks, services and devices.
• The National Council of Information Sharing & Analysis Centers (ISACs) – National Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity Education Goals & Objectives

Government executives from the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), National Security Agency (NSA), National Aeronautical and Space Agency (NASA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Health and Human Service (HHS), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) participated alongside security certification organizations (ISC)2, EC-Council, CompTIA; industry leaders from Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Tyco International, Verizon Global Services, Harris Corporation, McKesson Provider Technologies, Cypherpath, Connnelly Works, SecureXperts, and the Greentree Group as well as major associations and non-profit organizations such as The National Council of Information Sharing & Analysis Centers (ISACs), CyberWatch Center, the Internet Security Alliance (ISA), TechAmerica, Florida Public Broadcasting (FPBS).

Facilitated by GICSR, the conference resulted in agreement with its members, to focus on the development of a “core” Cross-Sector Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity Education Framework (functions, roles, responsibilities, competencies, etc.) including mapping to existing and new security certifications, and implementation of existing and new K-20 and current workforce educational resources. The first “sector-specific” Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity Framework will focus on the healthcare and public health CIKR sector for Healthcare Providers, working in collaboration with the National Health Information Sharing & Analysis Center (NH-ISAC), HHS, and public/private healthcare owner operators.

Dr. Ernest McDuffie, NIST, National Lead for the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), applauded GICSR for leading this project and will continue to support the NICE-GICSR collaboration. “Acting as the conduit for public/private collaboration and enabling NIST to further its goals through this type of partnership is enormous. We look forward to working with GICSR on this effort and to partnering with industry to implement the NICE goals.”

“As more health care providers connect to health information exchange networks through their electronic health record software, the need to protect and safeguard the private medical records of patients becomes every more important,,” said Dr. Christopher Sullivan, Health Information Exchange Manager of the South Florida Regional Extension Center. “GICSR can play a lead role in ensuring the security of health care records by developing training programs in best practices for privacy and security in the health care industry. Through the coordinated efforts of organizations like GICSR working with health care providers, we will be better able to safeguard the protected health information of patients as it is exchanged for the coordination of patient care.”

Deborah Kobza, GICSR President/CEO explained: “GICSR provides a collaborative platform bringing industry, academia and government together to address cybersecurity issues and challenges, especially cybersecurity protection, awareness, and workforce education. Working together, we can leverage cybersecurity best practice research, guidance from technology leaders, existing and new education and research resources and programs to further our ability to safeguard protection of our nation’s critical infrastructures.

The Global Institute for Cybersecurity + Research (GICSR) formed in August 2010 is headquartered at Exploration Park| Kennedy Space Center and includes operations in Washington, D.C. and also Canada. GICSR Canada serves as headquarters for GICSR International.

CIKR     cybersecurity     Deborah Kobza     Dr. Christoph Sullivan     Dr. Ernest McDuffie     GICSR     Katherine Waldron     NIST