While IT professionals continue to play a leading role in securing government information, cybersecurity is the job of every employee. Frontline employees must secure their devices, follow cyber hygiene protocols and help identify potential insider threats in real time. Agency leaders must create and enforce robust cyber policies that tackle threats holistically across technological, organizational and cultural aspects. Meanwhile, IT staff must continue to balance operational needs with the creation of new cybersecurity tactics and tools.
This guide dives into six personas that represent different types of agency personnel who can play a critical part in cybersecurity. Each persona describes their role in strengthening cyber posture, challenges they encounter in their jobs and tools available to help achieve their objectives while enhancing cybersecurity.
Additionally, this guide provides an overview of key legislation concerning government’s cyber workforce, including the Cyber Workforce Assessment Act and the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce Framework. It also features interviews with leaders from government and academia to discuss where the cyber workforce gaps can be addressed.
Ultimately, this guide provides agencies with a better understanding of who plays a role in cybersecurity, what their greatest challenges are and what can help equip such staff within an agency to enhance cyber posture. By better understanding the types of personnel behind government cybersecurity, agencies can tackle the most important component behind cyber defense: humans.
