Guest Blogger: CyberFutures Technology Exposition Blog - Thursday, March 22

Captain Matthew Stines III, Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs (SAF/PAO) Media Officer, Press Desk, had the opportunity of attending the 2012 CyberFutures conference last week. The following are his photos and his personal reaction to his experience on the exposition floor. Stay tuned for more video footage from Captain Stines, as well as recaps from the speaker sessions! 

On Thursday March 22, 2012, I attended the Air Force Association’s (AFA) CyberFutures Conference at the Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Maryland. During the conference I enjoyed viewing the technology exposition hall where exhibitors from across the country displayed their latest technology in cyber security.  

The products on display illustrated how the cyber threats our nation faces are urgent, sometimes difficult to detect, potentially devastating and growing. 

Recent high profile intrusions highlight the threat to U.S. businesses and critical infrastructure, and they underscore the need for a strategy for Department of Defense (DoD) to work closely with the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) and support Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in its efforts in other critical infrastructure sectors. As technologies continue to evolve and spread, the Nation and DoD, face the very real possibility that these threats will continue increase.

DoD’s success in cyberspace depends on a robust public/private partnership. The defense of military networks will matter little unless our critical civilian infrastructure is also able to withstand attacks.

I had an opportunity to talk with an IT industry expert from Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) regarding how their company works with the Air Force to deter cyber security threats with its command and control capability.

“We’re here to showcase some of the SAIC capabilities that are needed for cyber defense. The cyber mission is very important to national defense,” said Michael R. Raker, SAIC Senior Engineer. 

The Department of Defense depends on cyberspace to execute its national security mission and provide timely responses to crisis or contingency, conduct its operations, project power abroad and keep our troops safe.

DoD continues to pursue new ways of sharing information and expertise with its partners in the private sector. DoD’s support is always done in coordination with DHS and under civilian control, according to applicable laws, and with careful consideration of privacy and civil liberties. 

This image features Dylan M. Goodrich, SAIC, Strategic Communications Analyst (Far left)
and Mr. Michael R. Raker, Senior Software Engineer, SAIC (Far right) assisting a customer
at the SAIC exhibition during AFA's CyberFutures Conference at the Gaylord National Resort.  

This picture features Dylan M. Goodrich, SAIC, Strategic Communications Analyst (Far left)
and Mr. Michael R. Raker, Senior Software Engineer, SAIC (Far right) providing me
with a demonstration of their command and control software.

This picture features Dylan M. Goodrich, SAIC, Strategic Communications Analyst (Far left)
and Mr. Michael R. Raker, Senior Software Engineer, SAIC (Far right)
providing me with a demonstration of their command and control software.

USAF Chief Scientist Joins CyberFutures Conference Line-Up

The U.S. Air Force's chief scientist, Dr. Mark T. Maybury, will join an agenda full of Air Force leadership, industry experts, and current cyber security specialists at the Air Force Association’s 2012 CyberFutures Conference! 

CyberFutures is AFA’s premiere spring conference, where conference-goers will have the unique opportunity to interact with military, government, academic, and private sector leaders. It highlights speakers from across the cyber security community as they gather to discuss the full spectrum of the nation’s efforts and challenges to unburden, protect and efficiently utilize the cyber domain.

Dr. Maybury serves as chief scientific adviser to the Chief of Staff and Secretary of the Air Force, and provides assessments on a wide range of scientific and technical issues affecting the Air Force mission. In this role he identifies and analyzes technical issues and brings them to attention of Air Force leaders, and interacts with other military and science and technology communities to address cross-organizational technical issues and solutions. He has edited or co-authored 10 books, authored more than 60 refereed publications, and been awarded several U.S. patents.

Invited speakers for the 2012 cyber conference include: Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley; General William Shelton, Commander, Air Force Space Command; Representative Mike Rogers, Chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee; and Secretary Eric Rosenbach, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy.
 
This second annual conference will be held March 22-23, 2012, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center on the Potomac, in National Harbor, just across the river from Alexandria and minutes from downtown Washington, DC.

The CyberFutures Conference features a Technology Exposition hall where exhibitors from across the country will display their latest technology in cyber security. In addition, CyberPatriot IV, presented by the Northrop Grumman Foundation, will be holding their national finals competition in conjunction with the conference’s sessions. [P.S. The finalists for the All Service Division will be announced later this week!]

Governor of New Jersey Recognizes CyberPatriot Champions

CyberPatriot III officially ended April 1, where the top scorers of each division were annoucned and awarded. But the winners continue to get recognized throughout their home states.

Governor Chris Christie, of New Jersey, congratulated “Team Mantrap” of Red Bank Regional High School on Twitter yesterday for being crowned the CyberPatriot III Open Division National Champions.

Out of an original 186 Open Division registrants, “Team Mantrap” (Mantrap is an industrial term in cyber security parlance) was the top scorer in their division, which was comprised of students from public, private, parochial and home schools not associated with any military organization (i.e., Junior ROTC and Civil Air Patrol).

“Congrats to team Mantrap at Red Bank Regional High for becoming CyberPatriot III national champions,” the governor said via Twitter, April 14, 2011. “Keep up the good work.”

To read more about “Team Mantrap,” click here.

Registration for CyberPatriot IV is now open! For more information, check out www.uscyberpatriot.org.