NewsBrief November 6, 2020

Security games reveal how networks can fool cyber-attackers

(Army.mil) The U.S. Army conducted several groundbreaking studies in the field of game theory that highlighted the use of deception to mislead adversaries in the cyberspace domain.Researchers from the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Army Research Laboratory exhibited the results of their studies at the virtual 2020 Conference on Decision and Game Theory for Security, Oct. 26-30. “Game theory allows us to analyze the behavior of intelligent adversaries, predict adversaries course of action and find the best response to protect our network,” said Dr. Charles Kamhoua, senior electronics engineer in the lab’s Network Security Branch. Read More

The Navy seeks to integrate all telework capabilities in long-term solution

(fedscoop) The Navy wants its next teleworking platform to do much more than its current one, focusing both on increasing security and providing more integrated capabilities across platforms, a Navy senior IT official said Wednesday. The goal is to be able to sync up more features, including a link between email and calendars. The focus on enterprise integration comes as the Navy was able to use more funding to modernize its telework and other enterprise systems during the pandemic. The Department plans to move to a Microsoft 365 suite that will provide the kind of integration it wants, along with hitting other modernization initiatives. Read More

How coronavirus forced cyber changes at the Department of Homeland Security

(cyberscoop) The Department of Homeland Security’s Karen Evans discusses protecting the remote workforce amid the COVID-19 pandemic. When the pandemic hit, Evans said that leadership had to accept a different threshold of risk tolerance. For example, around video conferencing, leaders might ask what is more important — the actual content or the capability to hold an unclassified video conference. Evans address the cybersecurity workforce gaps, and how DHS is looking for a skill mix to help with their initiatives to consolidate what is happening from a network operation center and security operation center perspective. Part of what is helping DHS is that they have been given authority to put employees on a career path that mirrors the private sector, both for salary and job path.
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DOD Official: Upcoming Cybersecurity Requirements Could Still Significantly Change Based on Industry Feedback

(Nextgov) The Defense official in charge of rolling out the department’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program suggested it might be necessary to revise the standard to address high costs associated with validating procurements at the very top of its tiered model. “There’s a lot of discussion I think yet to be had on level four and five,” Katie Arrington, the DOD’s CMMC lead, said. “Is it all the controls in level four? Or is it a you know, à la carte that you need to be able to meet 50% of the controls in level four, to get certification? Because it’s very expensive. And is there the [return on investment] on implementing all those controls? Do we need to modify the CMMC?” Read More

DOD ‘data commandments’ are in the works

(FCW.com) A set of ‘data commandments’ and continuous education for personnel may be the key to making the concept of Joint All Domain Command and Control a reality, according to the Defense Department’s data chief. “Our future is in recognizing a commercial industry that accepts what we’re calling loosely the data commandments we’re drafting and hope to be taking to our senior-most leaders,” David Spirk, the Defense Department’s chief data officer, said during the National Defense Industry Association’s Oct. 28 Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) event. Read More

DOD could get permanent telework capability in 2021

(McKinsey & Company) There is a huge performance spread among sales reps. No matter which metric you use, the top 30 percent of reps will outperform the bottom 30 by as much as a factor of four. 1 Closing this gap by helping weaker performers to operate more like high performers is a surefire way to drive additional revenue growth. But how to do it? The first step is to figure out what top sales reps do differently and identify overall best practices that all sales reps should follow. Read More

Yoga pants are now allowed at the commissary, and there was much rejoicing

(Military Times) Athleisure has so permeated American culture that even the old-school fashion police at the Defense Department have taken notice. As of Monday, you’re now allowed to wear your workout gear when you’re picking up groceries on base. Physical fitness attire is authorized at the commissary or exchange, per a memo signed by Defense Secretary Mark Esper, to include both service-issued PT uniforms and their civilian equivalents. Keep in mind, though, that the outfit must be “clean, serviceable and in good condition, and appropriately modest,” Esper wrote. Read More