INTERVIEW ADVANCED CYBER SECURITY TRAINING · 2017. 5. 9. · Why you should attend Cyber Defence and Network Security 2016: • Learn from leading nations on their best cyber security

LONDON, UK, JANUARY 19 – SYPRIS Electronics, a leading provider of solutions in

cyber security, secure communications, global electronic key management, and

manufacturing services, is teaming with Defence IQ to host a special workshop at the

annual Cyber Defence & Network Security summit. Attendees will have the chance to

transform cyber security from an individual to a team ‘sport’, through a dynamic and team-

based exercise day, with hands-on cyber security training and the chance to gain CPE

credits on the Sypris Cyber Range.

Anthony Bargar has served in senior positions within the US Department of Defense and

Intelligence Community, and now leads a team of trusted advisors (the Cyber Security

Consulting Group) to assist clients – including stock exchanges, banks, utilities, federal

military/intel agencies and global governments – to thrive within today’s highly contested

cyber environment. He currently advises Sypris Electronics’ Cyber Operations & Analytics

Business. Ahead of the event, he discusses the best ways to upskill today’s cyber teams…

D E F E N C E I Q O C T O B E R 2 0 1 5

ADVANCED CYBER

SECURITY TRAINING DEVELOPING SKILLS FOR GOVERNMENT

AND MILITARY LEVEL OPERATORS

I N T E R V I E W

ANTHONY BARGAR CYBER SECURITY SPECIALIST

SYPRIS ELECTRONICS

Defence IQ: Anthony, how has your

experience in the past few years – working

in both the top-tier governmental and

commercial information security sectors –

taught you about the current demand for

cyber security solutions today and the

nature of the threat facing government

and military networks?

Anthony Bargar: My experience tells me that

the nature of the threat – whether it be nation

states, terrorists, criminals, hacktivists, or

corporations conducting espionage against

their rivals – dictates that the demand for

cyber security solutions will only continue to

increase exponentially for the foreseeable

future. In addition to the increased demand

for cyber security solutions, there will be an

increased demand for cyber security

professionals who are skilled at deploying and

operating these solutions. Even the most

advanced, state-of-the-art cyber security

solutions will be rendered ineffective if your

cyber security workforce does not attain and

maintain the requisite level of skills, both

conceptual and hands-on, needed to operate

these solutions effectively.

DIQ: And considering that relentless pace

of technological evolution and the

sophistication of threats, how does the

company ensure it can develop the right

products or programmes to support its

customers in the government and military

space?

AB: At Sypris Electronics, we believe it’s

critical to stay on the cutting-edge of

technology to provide next generation,

integrated solutions to our customers. To

accomplish this, we’ve established key

strategic partnerships with leading-edge

technology companies, with industry

organizations, with agencies and with

universities. These partnerships and

affiliations have helped us create a robust

technology roadmap, as well as to promote an

innovative culture and provide sustainable

solutions to our customers and stakeholders.

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 5 D E F E N C E I Q

‘Partnerships have helped us create a robust technology roadmap and promote a culture of innovation’

An example of this is the Sypris Research

Center (SRC) at Purdue University. Our Staff

at the SRC are performing advanced research

in key management, secure control systems,

secure computing architectures, encryption,

identity authentication, and other security

technology areas. These building blocks will

form the future of next generation systems

that defend computers and networks against

evolving cyber threats around the world.

DIQ: The Sypris Cyber Range has been

attracting keen attention. What does it

offer that makes it unique to other

cybersecurity training solutions on the

market?

AB: Our Cyber Range is a unique learning

system and modeling & simulation capability

delivered on an open platform based upon

commercial off the shelf (COTS) technology.

It has three major components: the Virtual

Training Platform (VTP); the Modeling and

Simulation Platform; and the Critical

Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Capability. All

of that is designed to reduce operational risk

and provide greater resiliency to operate

through a cyber attack, and to enable role-

based cyber defender proficiency. It also

supports quicker, effective response and

provides a framework for continuous

improvement in tune with the latest threats.

All our training is hands-on and enables our

Learn, Train, Do Prove™ Methodology that

enhances Cyber Maturity using a standardized

approach that is repeatable and measurable.

DIQ: So what seem to be the most

commonly asked questions from

prospective customers when it comes to

investing in a platform such as this?

AB: Our customers are very interested in

learning about the ability to simulate a realistic

environment, in which they can hone their

skills for protecting and assessing their real

networks and systems. Our Sypris Cyber

Range includes a Modeling and Simulation

feature in which we can model networks with

up to 3000 VMs.

They’re also often worried about the

newest attack methods to which they could be

vulnerable. Training on the Range puts them

in a stronger position because we’re able to

load new attack methods into the system via

our trusted partners.

Another often asked question is: can we

optimize our processes along with our people

by using a tool such as the Cyber Range? By

utilizing the environment created with that

modeling and simulation capability,

organizations can create realistic, hands-on

training exercises that can be employed to test

existing processes and the ability of the

workforce to effectively implement them.

C Y B E R

‘Customers are very interested in learning about the ability to simulate a realistic environment’

D E F E N C E I Q O C T O B E R 2 0 1 5

DIQ: How have those using this resource

been able to measure its effectiveness?

AB: After using the Sypris Cyber Range, our

customers have experienced several benefits.

First and foremost is an increase in the level

of motivation of their cyber workforce. This

comes with the confidence they get after

successfully completing the various training

modules (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)

associated with the range which is 80 percent

hands-on. Additionally, front line supervisors

are more confident in the skillsets of their

workforce because they are able to develop

‘Organizationally Defined Assessments’

aimed at evaluating the skills and proficiency

of their workforce with specific pieces of

technology.

Furthermore, executive leadership is able

to improve the overall cyber resiliency of their

organization by using the modeling and

simulation capability of the Range to mimic

their networks and systems along with the

environment they operate in.

Once this virtual environment is

established, executives assess the effectiveness

of their cyber security tools and the impact to

operations of changes to their technology

baselines. Finally, executives are then using

this virtual environment to evolve cyber from

an individual to a team sport by creating large

exercises that force their cyber workforce to

function as a collaborative group as they

utilize their internal processes to respond to

various cyber attacks.

This leads to processes that are optimized,

a more efficient workforce and a cyber

resilient organization.

C Y B E R

‘Supervisors are more confident in the

skillsets of their workforce because

they’re able to develop

Organizationally Defined Assessments’

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 5 D E F E N C E I Q

DIQ: What can gov/mil entities do to

increase not only their amenability to

working with solution providers in this

space but also their influence in securing

the best results when doing so?

AB: First of all, government and military

needs to understand that solution providers

are much better positioned to more rapidly

develop capabilities to meet the requirements

of this constantly changing and contested

environment. They need to find effective ways

to partner with solution-providers that enable

those partners to better assist them with

developing more effective capabilities. This

will include establishing a higher level of trust

between gov/mil entities and private industry.

One way to improve this trust is to

establish a process for sharing relevant issues

that gov/mil is experiencing, as well as a

process for sharing cyber-related intelligence.

Gov/mil can establish a working group made

up of these trusted partners where issues and

intelligence can be shared to help improve

existing capabilities or create new ones to

meet emerging threats.

As the cyber threat evolves and the incidence of attacks increases, maintaining preparedness and situational awareness is vitally important. Customised malware, DDoS attacks and the vulnerabilities of mobile and enterprise networks all present real challenges. However, the opportunity to come together and share ideas, solutions and initiatives and to facilitate deeper cooperation in cyber defence must be harnessed. Why you should attend Cyber Defence and Network Security 2016: • Learn from leading nations on their best cyber security practices, and also the threats that concern

them in the future, from best methods of training to concerns around the ‘Internet of Things.’ • Improve your knowledge from the industry as to the best tools and solutions available to help

ensure total network security. • Exposure to organisations outside of the military, ranging from private to public services, with the

question being posed “What lessons can be learnt from outside of our network?”

www.CDANS.org

20 - 21 January, 2016, LONDON, UK

BOOK NOW

‘Government can establish a working group of trusted partners to share cyber-intelligence’

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