Government Cybersecurity Research Explores Technological, Human Capabilities

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

http://www.afcea.org/content/?q=government-cybersecurity-research-explores-technological-human-capabilities-0

By Robert K. Ackerman
AFCEA Signal
March 1, 2015

Challenges ranging from teaching people new ways of learning languages to 
providing security for homemade computer chips head the priority list for 
researchers at the National Security Agency. The exponential expansion of 
technology capabilities is perhaps matched by the growth of potential 
conflict areas, and both are increasing the issues faced by the agency’s 
research community.

Traditional skills such as translating communications intercepts now must 
take into account that any one of thousands of languages spoken on Earth 
could be vital if a new trouble spot flares up. The ubiquity of networked 
devices, especially in the context of the emerging Internet of Things, 
provides its own unique cybersecurity challenges. And, the near future may 
see individuals making chips at home for their own customized 
communications devices, which also would need to be secured.

These are some of the tasks facing Dr. Deborah A. Frincke, director of 
research at the National Security Agency/Central Security Service 
(NSA/CSS). Frincke points out that hers is the only group within the 
intelligence community that has a large body of long-, medium- and 
short-term research. In addition to conducting contract research with 
academia and industry, it also has a sizeable investment in long-term 
staff. “We have a very large body of professional researchers who have 
spent their entire careers here and also those we hire more later [in 
their] careers … and that is unique,” she offers. “We don’t see that 
elsewhere—that investment in a long-term body of internal researchers.”

This institutional knowledge provides a significant advantage, she 
continues. With the research directorate inside the agency, it “sits right 
at the table’ with the senior leaders of the agency. Leadership hears 
about technological advances at the same time it is learning about 
worldwide issues, she points out, which enables real-time coordination of 
research with mission needs.

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