September 29, 2024
Presented by Okta & Carahsoft
Empowering Global Operations through IT and Cybersecurity at USAID
Jason Gray, Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), discusses the agency’s comprehensive IT and cybersecurity strategy, emphasizing stakeholder engagement, operational readiness, and centralized cloud infrastructure to manage systems securely across more than 80 countries. As one of the first federal agencies to fully transition to the cloud, USAID benefits from a unified system that enhances cybersecurity, including data loss prevention and endpoint security, even in challenging environments like the recent Sudan evacuation. Gray shares the value of interagency collaboration, particularly with the State Department, to streamline operations and improve cybersecurity training through shared resources and reciprocal agreements. He highlights that building strong partnerships, both internally and externally, ensures efficiency and mission success.
Key Takeaways:
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USAID’s fully cloud-based system enables centralized management of its global IT infrastructure, ensuring consistent and secure operations across all regions, even in remote or challenging environments.
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There is importance in interagency collaboration, particularly with the State Department, to overcome shared IT and cybersecurity challenges.
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The key to effective IT management lies in showing non-technical stakeholders the value of initiatives, by focusing on how these efforts reduce operational burdens and support the agency’s mission, USAID is able to maintain high performance and engagement across the board.
The Evolving Role of Identity in Cybersecurity and Zero Trust
Christine Halvorsen, Public Sector Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Okta, emphasizes the growing recognition of identity as critical infrastructure in cybersecurity. She discusses how identity management has shifted from being a secondary concern to a core element of zero trust frameworks, acting as a key defense mechanism against cyber threats. Halvorsen highlights the integration capabilities of Okta, which spans across the five pillars of zero trust, enabling organizations to correlate threat signals and respond more effectively to potential risks. By integrating identity management with other security measures, Okta helps agencies mature their cybersecurity programs, ensuring better protection and risk management. She also discusses how identity specialization is emerging within cybersecurity programs, pushing agencies to adopt more advanced tools like privileged access management and continuous monitoring for a comprehensive approach.
Key Takeaways:
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Identity is increasingly seen as a mission-critical component of cybersecurity, acting as the front line of defense and requiring robust protection and management to secure entire infrastructures.
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Okta’s platform integrates across all five zero trust pillars, allowing agencies to aggregate and analyze threat signals from multiple sources, enhancing their ability to detect and mitigate high-risk scenarios.
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As cybersecurity programs mature, agencies are moving beyond basic MFA and SSO, adopting advanced solutions like fine-grained authorization and privileged access management to provide continuous monitoring and life cycle management of identities.
The Role of Transactional Data Reporting in Government Procurement
Greg Rollins, Deputy Assistant Commissioner at the General Services Administration (GSA), discusses how the Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) initiative enhances transparency and efficiency in government procurement by providing detailed line-item-level data. TDR functions like a detailed receipt, offering insights into what is bought and sold on major government procurement vehicles. Rollins explains that this granular data allows for a range of valuable use cases, such as improving supply chain risk management, supporting small businesses, and providing market intelligence to industry partners. These insights enable contractors to focus on areas where government demand is highest, streamlining their efforts and helping agencies make more informed decisions. Rollins highlights that TDR saves industry partners up to 22 hours per contract per year, reducing administrative burdens while also enhancing data quality and transparency. As GSA continues to expand the program, they are engaging with vendors to ensure that the data collected is accurate and useful.
Key Takeaways:
- TDR saves industry partners 22 hours per contract annually by streamlining reporting and reducing administrative burdens.
- The program provides valuable market intelligence, enabling vendors to target their efforts where government demand is greatest, while also supporting supply chain risk management.
- GSA's focus on data quality and integration of TDR into contracting tools helps contracting officers achieve fair and reasonable pricing, improving the overall acquisition process.