By Brexit Strategy. NATO and the European Union do not line up perfectly, but because of their similar membership and strategic goals, alliance and senior U.S. Defense Department officials are showing concerns over the potential exit of Britain from the EU. “The unity of NATO, of Europe, is an important thing,” a senior U.S. official says this week after a NATO ministerial meeting in the runup to the major alliance summit in July. “Brexit, therefore, is a strategic issue” because it could compromise the economic stability and therefore the long-term existence of the Eurozone. A vote on whether Britain should remain an EU member or withdraw is scheduled for Thursday.
New Terror Bulletin. The Department of Homeland Security last week issued a new five-month National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin in the wake of the Orlando mass killing, saying “our concerns that violent extremists could be inspired to conduct attacks inside the U.S. have not diminished.” The new bulletin was issued just as the old one expired. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson says, “In December, we described a new phase in the global threat environment, which has implications in the homeland. This basic assessment has not changed.” The new bulletin says DHS has no intelligence of specific threats but is “concerned about threats and violence directed at particular communities and individuals across the country, based on perceived religion, ethnicity, nationality or sexual orientation.”
More OASIS for DoD. The General Services Administration and the Defense Department have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) allowing for expanded use by the defense acquisition workforce of GSA’s One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services (OASIS) and OASIS Small Business contracts for procurement of complex professional services. “This MoU not only paves the way for expanded usage by the 4th Estate, but also supports our commitment to cost-effectively meeting the warfighter’s needs by securing the lowest fess for usage,” says Claire Grady, director, Defense Procurement and Acquisition Technology and Logistics, Policy for the DoD Acquisition office. The 4th Estate is all organizational entities in the DoD that are not in the military departments or the combatant commands.
Cyber Security Hurdles for SMBs. While a new law incentivizes the private sector to share information about cyber security threats with the federal government and between companies, there are significant hurdles for small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) to do so, Ola Sage, the CEO of two small IT companies, tells a House panel. For one, she tells the House Homeland Security Cybersecurity Subcommittee, most SMBs aren’t aware of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act. This gap could be closed if the government works through the Small Business Administration, Chamber of Commerce, and other small business groups, she says.
…It’s Costly. Sage, whose companies are e-management and CyberRx, says that some estimates put the cost of implementing cyber security best practices and solutions at up to $60,000 annually for a 50-employee company. “It is not clear to many what the concrete benefits are of investing those kinds of dollars in cyber security,” she says. “As information sharing is voluntary under the law, the key driver for a small business CEO to consider participation will be the cost to implement.” She adds that there are a lot of small businesses that think they don’t have any information that criminals would want.
…Information Overload. There are so many information sharing initiatives that “small businesses are confused,” Sage says. Among the information sharing efforts with the government or within the private sector are the Homeland Security Enhanced Cybersecurity Services, Cooperative Research and Development Agreement, the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center, the new Automated Indicator Sharing near-real time portal, the Information Sharing and Analysis Center, and the Information Sharing and Analysis Organization, “are just a few,” she says. “It would be helpful to the SMB community if these initiatives could be streamlined and tailored for the SMB community.”
Destroyer Dedication. The Navy is christening its newest destroyer USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001) on June 18 during a ceremony at the General Dynamics-Bath Iron Works shipyard in Bath, Maine. The Monsoor is the second ship in the Zumwalt-class of destroyers. It is named in honor of Medal of Honor recipient Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor. “I’m tremendously honored to be a part of this christening, the next step in getting DDG-1001 to the fleet in order to conduct prompt and sustained maritime operations,” says Janine Davidson, under secretary of the Navy. “DDG-1001 is an extremely capable and versatile ship with an incredible namesake. I have every confidence that the ship and crew will both live up to and honor Petty Officer Monsoor’s legacy as the ship’s motto implies – You Never Quit.”
… Heroic Act. Monsoor was killed Sept. 29, 2006 while performing a sniper overwatch mission with fellow SEALs and Iraqi Army soldiers. An insurgent fragmentation grenade entered the troops’ position and bounced off Monsoor’s chest before hitting the floor. Positioned next to the single exit, Monsoor was the only one who could have escaped harm. Instead he dropped onto the grenade, smothering it to protect his teammates. The grenade detonated as he came down on top of it, inflicting a mortal wound. His Medal of Honor citation reads, “by his undaunted courage, fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of certain death, Petty Officer Monsoor gallantly gave his life for his country, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and upholding the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”
… New Navy Tech. The future USS Michael Monsoor features two advanced gun systems firing long-range, land-attack projectiles with ranges of up to 63 nautical miles. The guns will provide precision, high volume and persistent fire support to forces ashore with an approximate five-fold improvement in naval surface fire range. In addition, DDG-1001 will be the second Navy surface combatant to employ an innovative and highly flexible Integrated Power System, providing potentially significant energy savings that are well-suited to enable future high energy weapons and sensors, the Navy says. Construction on the ship began in March 2010, with the keel laying ceremony held in May 2013. It is 610 feet long, with a displacement of approximately 15,000 tons when fully loaded.
USAF Vice Chief. The day after SASC vetted Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein for the service’s top job, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter named Goldfein’s replacement. Air Force Lt. Gen. Stephen W. Wilson is tapped to assume the rank of general, and for assignment as vice chief of staff, U.S. Air Force. Wilson is currently serving as deputy commander, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
Commercial Cyber Accelerator. The SecureSet cybersecurity academy is launching a start-up accelerator, SecureSet, focused on helping start-up companies get funded, connected, and noticed in the commercial cybersecurity market. Firms will be selected in a four-month program to receive a $40,000 investment, mentorship from cybersecurity experts, and access to potential customers. SecureSet has started accepting applications for up to 30 targeted product sectors in the health, telecom, and financial services verticals as well as a “wildcard” set which do not fit in other vertical markets.
MGT Hacker Board. MGT Capital Investments, Inc. is appointing Bryan Seely to its Hacker Advisory Board. Seely is an ethical hacker known for hacking Google Maps in 2014, proving an ability to intercept calls to the U.S. Secret Services and FBI as well as helping LinkedIn resolve a security exploit. Seely serves as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of J4 Capital LLC and advocates for cyber security through public speaking and published works. The board is established by John McAfee, proposed Executive Chairman and Chief Exercutive Officer of MGT, to help steer the company’s technology in the field of cybersecurity threats.
Hill Impact. Dan Hill, longtime defense industry PR maven, has left Ervin Hill Strategy to form his own venture, Hill Impact. Hill worked at Ervin Hill for four years. Before that, he ran the D.C. office for AgustaWestland. From 1994-2001, Hill was a top adviser to then Republican New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, who is currently running for president on the Libertarian ticket.
UMass Amherst Cyber Grant. The MassMutual Foundation awards the University of Massachusetts Amherst a $15 million 10-year grant to strengthen its data science and cybersecurity research and education programs. The grant includes $12 million to support the Center for Data Science to hire additional faculty and support the center’s goals to double the amount of data science courses and triple the size of the master’s program in computer science. The other $3 million is to support new research and education activities at the university’s Cybersecurity Institute. The grant will establish the Institute’s new Trust Assurance Cybersecurity certificate offered at the MassMutual Foundation/UMass Springfield Center for Training in Cybersecurity. MassMutual is a corporate foundation established by the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company.
