CISA Wants ‘Brutal Honesty and Feedback’ on Public-Private Cybersecurity Partnerships

A senior official overseeing the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s public-private partnerships wants “brutal honesty and feedback” from the private sector on how CISA can improve its work with companies.

As Nextgov/FCW reports, the remarks came during an “open house” discussion hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce last week. Jeff Greene, CISA’s recently appointed “Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity”, was keen to underscore his agency’s willingness to work with partners and to accept constructive criticism after reports from earlier this year suggested that a number of companies had withdrawn from the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC).

Greene asked that private sector firms “tell us what we’re doing well” and “tell us where we need to improve and help us get there,” adding, “And give us the grace to have a little time to get there because we’re juggling a lot of balls.”

Greene has a distinguished background, marked by significant roles in both the public and private sectors. Before joining CISA, he was the Senior Director for Cybersecurity Programs at the Aspen Institute, where he led global cybersecurity policy initiatives. Greene also served as the Chief for Cyber Response & Policy at the National Security Council, playing a key role in defensive cyber efforts and incident response, including drafting Executive Order 14028 to improve national cybersecurity.

His private sector experience includes leading a global team at Symantec as Vice President of Global Government Affairs and Policy and serving in legislative roles on the House and Senate Homeland Security Committees.

Now, Greene appears to be intent on righting the ship of the JCDC, an initiative launched in August 2021. It was established under the leadership of CISA Director Jen Easterly to strengthen the coordination of cyber defense efforts across government and private sectors, and aims to bring together key stakeholders, including government agencies, private sector companies, and critical infrastructure operators, to enhance collaboration, share real-time cyber threat information, and develop coordinated responses to cyber incidents.

Source: Nextgov/FCW

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July 22, 2024 – by Alex Perala