CISA urged to strengthen security standards, coordination

FedScoop reports that federal IT officials have called upon the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to strengthen security standards and coordination with other government agencies. Despite the benefits of CISA in advancing cybersecurity across the federal government, the agency was noted by Department of the Treasury Principal Deputy Chief Information Officer Jeff King and Department of Veterans Affairs Deputy Chief Information Security Officer Amber Pearson to lack operating standards regarding threat information sharing. On the other hand, VA Deputy CISO and Executive Director of Information Security Operations Jeff Spaeth urged for deeper collaborations between agencies part of the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative to better tackle cybersecurity risks. "I know that we have ISACs out there but I think JCDC has really taken the charge for all federal agencies to share that type of information, or [coordinating] the quick reactions and trying to close the holes as quickly as possible," Spaeth said. Such sentiments, which were shared during a Center for Strategic & International Studies panel discussion, largely echoed those expressed by the private sector in a House subcommittee hearing earlier this week.