Anwar Shahid CISSP, SSCP, CHFI, CDPSE, ITIL, FSO

In her latest blog, Director Jen Easterly highlights CISA’s mission to protect America’s critical infrastructure and strengthen resilience against cyber threats, including those posed by the PRC. https://go.dhs.gov/UCf As the Nation’s Cyber Defense Agency, we are committed to safeguarding the critical services Americans rely on daily and ensuring our collective security. Learn more about how we’re addressing these evolving challenges: https://go.dhs.gov/UCf

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As defense and security leaders navigate the dynamic landscape of CBRNE threats, Brigadier General (ret.) William King emphasizes the imperative of proactive risk assessment and strategic deployment to safeguard lives, assets, and ecosystems. In the face of evolving geopolitical dynamics, economic fluctuations, and rapid technological advancements propelling military modernizations, the criticality of addressing long-term security trends becomes paramount. The shifting global stage, coupled with external factors like climate change and pandemics, necessitates a departure from traditional operational paradigms towards a more agile and collaborative approach. Embracing comprehensive situational awareness and fostering coordination among diverse national and international entities are pivotal in fortifying responsiveness and resilience. Effective decision-making in the realm of CWMD hinges on early access to comprehensive data, necessitating seamless data sharing within the defense community and with strategic allies. While technology plays a crucial role in this ecosystem, the human element remains irreplaceable. A holistic approach, integrating diverse expertise and transcending organizational boundaries, is indispensable for mission success. In this era of heightened volatility, the fusion of policy, management, technology, operations, and human capital emerges as the linchpin for CWMD effectiveness. The urgent demand for skilled professionals across all domains underscores the escalating complexity of our security landscape, underscoring the need for collective expertise and unwavering commitment to navigate an increasingly uncertain world.

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ICYMI: The DoD OIG gave the Defense Contract Management Agency Office of Internal Audit and Inspector General (DCMA OIA-IG) a peer review rating of "pass" on its system of quality control. 🏆 The DoD OIG’s review, which focused on a three-year period, found that the DCMA OIA-IG’s system of quality control was suitably designed and complied with generally accepted government auditing standards. Check out the report 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gEyXE_NZ #Oversight #GAGAS

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Last week, as functional leads for the United States Air Force and United States Space Force IT and Cyber Civilians, Mrs. Venice M. Goodwine, CISSP, PMP, Dr. Keith Hardiman, and Mr. Anthony Dillard visited the DoD Cyber Crime Center (DC3) to deliver a cyber and IT civilian career field townhall. The DC3 is critical to the DoD’s cybersecurity strategy. The center provides essential services such as threat mitigation, forensic analysis, intelligence sharing, training, research, and policy compliance. Their services are critical to fortifying the Department of the Air Force’s cyber and IT systems along with 16th Air Force. During the townhall, the leaders discussed recent career field accomplishments, the structure of civilian force management, and developmental programs. A key topic was the DoD Cyber Workforce Framework (DCWF), which provides the DAF with baselines for each position. This framework ensures the strategic development of the workforce, aligning it to become the most efficient warfighter force. The civilian workforce is crucial for the DAF cyber and IT community. These professionals bring specialized skills and expertise from industry and academia, complementing the military personnel and ensuring a robust and resilient cyber infrastructure. Their contributions are vital towards leveraging IT to further warfighter readiness and lethality across the Enterprise, and they lead efforts to drive efficiency in IT spend and reduce duplicative capabilities across the Department. By integrating civilian talent, the DAF leverages advanced technical knowledge and experience which is essential for addressing the complex challenges of modern warfare and securing national defense. #DC3 #Cyber #IT #Workforce #DAF

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Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has issued a new directive aimed at limiting the Defense Department’s hiring of IT consultants. The edict came in a memo sent Tuesday to Pentagon leadership, combatant commanders, and DOD agency and field activity directors regarding implementation of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cost-saving initiatives. “While we rely on our vital industrial base to deliver cutting-edge technology and support, we must in-source more expertise and harness the unparalleled talent of our existing experts to drive financial efficiency and operational strength,” Hegseth wrote. https://hubs.ly/Q03pJB5J0

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Major General Jacqueline “Denise” McPhail, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM), underscored the Army’s commitment to a unified information network based on Zero Trust principles during Cybersmart 2025 on April 3, 2025. Speaking during the "Identity is Everything" session, McPhail addressed the central role of identity management in the Army’s cybersecurity framework. She emphasized NETCOM’s efforts to implement Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) solutions that strengthen identity verification, enhance interoperability across defense networks, and mitigate evolving cyber threats. McPhail outlined NETCOM’s strategic approach to adopting Zero Trust Architecture, reinforcing the Army’s cybersecurity posture by eliminating implicit trust and requiring continuous authentication. She highlighted the importance of collaboration between NETCOM, other Department of Defense (DoD) entities, and allied partners in securing mission-critical systems against adversaries seeking to exploit vulnerabilities in identity management. The discussion also covered emerging technologies and policy advancements influencing identity security, including artificial intelligence-driven verification methods and new guidelines from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. McPhail acknowledged the challenges of modernizing identity management infrastructure while ensuring operational readiness and mission success. Joining McPhail on the panel were cybersecurity leaders including Samuel "Tyler" Harding from the Office of the Chief Information Officer at the Department of Defense, James “Kemp” Jennings-Roche from the DOD Cybercrime Center, and Rahul Dubey from CyberArk. These experts explored various facets of identity management within zero trust frameworks, addressing challenges and opportunities in securing digital environments. Cybersmart 2025 brought together government and industry experts to address the evolving landscape of cybersecurity, reinforcing NETCOM’s role in advancing a resilient and secure network infrastructure for the Army and its partners. For more information about the event follow the link below: https://lnkd.in/gK9x7is6

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Defense acquisition professionals working on their Program Manager Practitioner or Advanced level certification will need to complete 20 additional hours of online training in FY26. The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition updated the certification requirements in a recent memo to Service Acquisition Executives. The memo lists newly approved certification courses for FY26 and recommends training options to help workforce members earn continuous learning requirements. The additional coursework was deemed "necessary to better prepare DoD PMs for facing current and future challenges of managing critical, complex and high-value DoD acquisition programs,” said Randy Pilling, DAU Acquisition and Program Management Center Director and Executive Secretary for the DoD PM Functional Area. Read the full article to learn more: https://lnkd.in/eJbj78P7 #DAU #ASD(A) #ProgramManagement #CertificationRequirements

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