Industry Perspectives from the DoDIIS Worldwide Conference 2023

The Department of Defense Intelligence Information System (DoDIIS) Worldwide Conference 2023 in Portland, Oregon, was a convergence of experts from defense, intelligence, industry, and academia. The theme, "Chaos to Clarity: Leveraging Emerging Technologies," aptly captured the event's focus on harnessing technology for intelligence and battlefield advantage. Key industry leaders shared their insights, emphasizing the balance between innovation and security.

Open Source Software: A Double-Edged Sword Robert Wickham from Tidelift highlighted the pivotal role of open source software in the Defense Department, driving innovation and preemptive problem-solving. However, he cautioned about its risks, such as potential malicious code insertions, underlining the need for secure software development frameworks and practices like container hardening.

Data Security and Identity Management: The Zero-Trust Approach Adele Hamel from Okta discussed the twin challenges of securing and sharing data in a zero-trust environment. She emphasized the complexity of federating identities across diverse organizational infrastructures, advocating for integrating identities from various sources to ensure secure and efficient data access.

Multi-Cloud Management: Navigating Complexity Chris Holmes from Greymatter.io shed light on the complexities of managing multi-cloud workloads. He discussed the challenges posed by different cloud platforms and the limitations of containerization, advocating for specialized tools to ensure seamless application portability and security across cloud environments.

Cross-Communication in Data Movement Brian Rosensteel from Ping Identity focused on the necessity for efficient and secure data communication, especially among coalition partners. He underscored the importance of standardizing identity management and moving towards an abstracted federation layer for enhanced data security and interoperability.

Foundational Cybersecurity Challenges Brian "Stretch" Meyer from Axonius addressed the innovation challenges in cybersecurity, pointing out that many federal networks struggle with basic aspects. He emphasized the need for a solid foundational understanding of network systems and advocated for leveraging existing technologies more effectively.

Innovative Identity Management with Yubico Alex Antrim from Yubico discussed how YubiKey is revolutionizing identity management within the DoD. He highlighted its role as a flexible alternative to common access cards, facilitating easy and secure access to DoD resources and aligning with zero-trust architecture principles.

Addressing Insider Risk Brian Stoner of DTEX Systems highlighted the importance of strategic partnerships in mitigating insider risks. He stressed the need for newer technologies and behavioral science in assessing and proactively addressing these risks, advocating for increased budget allocation towards insider risk management.

Artificial Intelligence in Federal Agencies Randy Hayes from Vast Data Federal compared AI use in government and private sectors. He emphasized the crucial role of data and infrastructure in AI development, noting the unique challenges and opportunities in government applications, such as national security automation and healthcare.

AI and Machine Learning: Security Implications Tony Hadfield from Venafi delved into the implications of AI and machine learning in security and defense. He focused on the challenges posed by the rapid development of generated code, highlighting the need for robust authorization and control mechanisms to ensure security and trust.

The DoDIIS Worldwide Conference 2023 provided a comprehensive overview of the current and future challenges and opportunities in employing emerging technologies in defense and intelligence. The insights from industry leaders underscore the continuous need for innovation, secure practices, and strategic partnerships to navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Insights from Industry Executives

Alex Antrim, Sr. Solutions Engineer at Yubico

Toan Do, VP of Sales at Collibra

Tony Hadfield, Vice President Solution Architects for Venafi

Adele Hamel, Federal Program Manager, National Security at Okta

Randy Hayes, VP of Public Sector for VAST Data Federal

Chris Holmes, President of greymatter.io

Brian "Stretch" Meyer, Senior Director of Federal Sales Engineer at Axonius

Bryan Rosensteel, Federal CTO at Ping Identity

Brian Stoner, VP of Worldwide Channels & Alliances at DTEX

Robert Wickham, VP of Public Sector for Tidelift