Call for Participation

Symposium on International Cyber Security Collaboration on Research and Development

George Mason University
Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Computer Science
Volgenau School of Information Technology and Engineering 
and School of Law

Co-hosted by
Internet Security Alliance

March 14, 2008, 1:00 – 3:30 pm, Reception to follow

GMU Arlington Campus, 3301 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22201 

(see Directions below)

PLEASE RSVP BELOW TO ATTEND (AS SPACE IS LIMITED)

OR PARTICIPATE BY WEBCAST

For webcast URL visit http://cs.gmu.edu/~lics/WebCast.html after March 8.

This symposium is being organized in recognition of the need for greater domestic and international collaboration and information sharing regarding the risk to the global information and communication infrastructure, and regarding the research and development that is necessary to better assess and mitigate that risk, and address the long-term hard problems facing our information and communications networks and systems. 

In addition, this event is the prelude to the expected formation of an international cyber center at George Mason University, the objectives of which are detailed below, following this call for participation.  Partners and sponsors are sought for that effort.  In summary, the proposed center will focus on:

• Bringing information technology to the emerging world;
• CERT/CSIRT capacity building;
• Enhancing cyber R&D collaboration and information sharing; and
• Promoting the collection and sharing of data on malicious actors in cyberspace and those who enable them, and greater coordinated efforts by the private sector, law enforcement, and non-law enforcement government entities to shut down those actors and cut off the payments that are their lifeblood.

This symposium, and a possible follow-up planning effort that may result in a conference this December in Europe, are designed to share information about recent, current, and planned research and development efforts in Europe and the United States, and identify interested stakeholders and sponsors for such an effort 

More specifically, this symposium will include discussion and presentations by a representative of the European community and U.S. governmental and private sector representatives about the current risk to, and future challenges facing, information and communication networks.

Program

1:00     "Security and Resilience of ICT Infrastructures and Networks - An EU perspective"

Jacques Bus, Head of Unit F5 - Security, Directorate-General Information Society, European Commission.  The ICT Programme includes Network and Information System Security, Trustworthy Computing and DRM, Biometrics, Identity management, and Critical Information Infrastructure Protection.  http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/ict/security/home_en.html.

1:45     U.S. Perspective - Government

U.S. Interagency Effort, Federal R&D Plan, NITRD program, and IT and Communications Sector R&D priorities
Co-chairs - U.S. Cyber Security and Information Assurance Interagency Working Group (NITRD CSIA IWG)
Annabelle Lee, National Cyber Security Division, DHS
Bill Newhouse, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Information and Identity Assurance, Department of Defense
Ernest L. McDuffie, Ph.D., Associate Director, National Coordination Office for Networking and Information Technology R&D

2:30     U.S. Perspective - Private Sector

Guy Copeland, Computer Sciences Corporation
Chair of the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Council R&D Exchange (http://www.ncs.gov/nstac/rd/nstac_rd_about.html).

2:45     Discussion

3:30     Reception        

Please register at the following website to attend the symposium in person or via webcast, and to indicate interest in the international cyber center – Register by clicking on (or copying and inserting into your browser) the following link. Please indicate in the form if you will attend or will participate via webcast.

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=p2kLu4rw1mBbuuMbC_kkCdg

For webcast URL visit http://cs.gmu.edu/~lics/WebCast.html after March 8.

§                                From Washington, DC

§                                From I-66 heading east

§                                From I-66 heading west

§                                From I-395

§                                From Fairfax & points west, via Route 50

International Cyber Center

To build and implement the mission of the envisioned center, there will be an emphasis on active partnership and collaboration with public and private entities, to leverage and build upon past and existing efforts, to identify and fund requirements, and track progress.  Funding sources will include GMU support, corporate sponsorship, governmental and foundation funding, contracts with government and private entities, and conference, training, and exercise revenues.  Sponsors will be invited to participate in the advisory board and working groups. 

The following are the proposed issues and actions for the center to consider focusing on, with the timing/prioritization to depend on the interests of key partners and stakeholders, and opportunities presented by available funding:

1.             Promotion of information technology capability and infrastructure, and internet connectivity to the citizens in the emerging world, in a manner that strives to be consistent with ever-improving security best practices and standards, and is demonstrably sensitive to privacy concerns, and the need to have a decreasing impact on the environment;

2.             Creation of an international collaboration framework involving key government, academic, and private sector partners to address the cyber risk to the global information infrastructure;

3.             Promotion of information security and assurance awareness by users, security professionals, and providers;

4.             Promotion of cyber defense “best practices” by sharing information on tools, procedures, and policies;

5.             Beginning with a pilot in Virginia, development and promotion of state cyber best practices and creation of infrastructure that is integrated into state all-hazards capabilities for collaboration and information sharing regarding cyber risk, and coordinated response to cyber incidents.

6.             Facilitate development of policy frameworks for privacy and security keeping in view the local conditions in emerging countries;

7.             Promotion of capacity building of national computer emergency response/readiness teams and incident response teams (CERT and CSIRT) and infrastructures, and information sharing and collaboration among them, to assess and mitigate the risk to the global and regional information infrastructure;

8.             An initiative to reduce the amount, seriousness, and impact of malicious cyber activity and cyber crime by promotion of information sharing and collaboration (and status/progress reporting) among law enforcement, the private sector, and other government organizations;

9.             Promotion of IT and IT security-related research and development on issues related to these goals, by facilitating information sharing and collaboration among private sector and government (and government-financed) entities, and academic institutions. 

10.           Promote collaboration and information sharing about existing and developing compliance and regulatory frameworks designed to strengthen data privacy and computer security in the emerging world, building on and integrating with, the available international cyber infrastructure, and the international cyber crime prevention efforts.