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Join Us On May 1st | 2pm ET
Intelligence-driven cyber defense operations and other similar phrases are commonly heard in industry today, but what is truly meant by this turn of phrase? In this talk, we aim to explore this topic as it relates to the cyber defense landscape and the imperative need for public sector agencies to have access to actionable up-to-date insights on known malicious actors’ tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). This enables network defenders to anticipate and respond to cyber threats. Knowing which cloud app or router a bad actor is going to target before the cyber attack hits can give government officials a competitive advantage against emerging threats — allowing them to maintain and strengthen their proactive cybersecurity posture.
How can cyber leaders harness analysis tools and finished intelligence to tailor threat data to their specific needs? And how can intelligence and analysis provide critical insights about a cyber attack’s nature, methods, and potential impact to help organizations carry out effective remediation strategies?
Join GovExec and Google Cloud Security for an engaging discussion on how trailblazing government leaders are leveraging intelligence-driven cyber defense strategies to remain at the forefront of public sector security operations. We’ll discuss how the continuous monitoring and adjustment of security policies allows real-time threat intelligence to identify and block suspicious activity.
Attendees will learn:
- The benefits of integrating cyber threat intelligence and risk management teams to foster a dynamic cybersecurity strategy
- Best practices for how intelligence can help cyber defenders stay ahead of evolving AI threats
- How security experts are adopting risk-based decision-making to implement authentication measures, granular access controls, and the principle of least privilege
By participating in this program, government speakers are not providing any endorsements of products or services.
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Speakers
Colonel Joshua Rockhill
Commander, 688th Cyberspace Wing
Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland
Colonel Joshua H. Rockhill is the Commander of the 688th Cyberspace Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland (JBSA), Texas. In this capacity, he leads over 3,300 professional Airmen across four groups with 19 units at 18 locations worldwide. He ensures readiness and employment to build, operate, secure, defend and extend classified and unclassified networks through four cyberspace weapon systems and critical engineering and expeditionary capabilities. He delivers resilient and integrated cyber infrastructure in garrison as well as in deployed environments, directing the training, mobilization and deployment of Airmen and systems to enable Air Force, joint and coalition combat effectiveness.
Colonel Rockhill enlisted in the Air Force in 1993 and completed multiple assignments including a deployment with NATO in support of operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina before earning his commission from Officer Training School. He has held a variety of cyberspace positions at Wing, Center, MAJCOM, Air Staff and Joint Staff levels, including two tours as a Squadron Commander and one as a Group Commander. Prior to assuming his current position, Col Rockhill was the Director of Operations, 16th Air Force, Air Forces Cyber, and Joint Force Headquarters-Cyber, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, where his responsibilities spanned over 44,000 personnel conducting worldwide information warfare.
Christopher Thomas
Director for Cybersecurity Integration and Synchronization
Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-6
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Christopher Thomas
Director for Cybersecurity Integration and Synchronization
Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-6
Mr. Christopher I. Thomas is the Director for Cybersecurity Integration and Synchronization in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-6. He previously served as Information and Technology director for the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-9, from January 2019 to July 2022. Mr. Thomas was appointed to the Senior Executive Service (SES) in January 2019.
Mr. Thomas supported the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Coast Guard as the deputy chief information security officer, Coast Guard chief of cybersecurity policy, and Coast Guard acting deputy chief privacy officer from September 2011 to January 2019.
From 2006 to 2011, Mr. Thomas supported the Defense Intelligence Agency as the deputy chief of the Systems Certification Division and senior DIA certifier. He travelled throughout the world conducting management and technical evaluations of Department of Defense sensitive compartmented information certification and accreditation processes and procedures, network security measures, and other measures that supported and defended intelligence community systems and networks.
Mr. Thomas spent more than three years as a contractor with the Defense Information Systems Agency, where he performed as an information assurance systems engineer specializing in cross- domain systems development, testing and implementation. He also spent a short time with the Computer Scientific Corporation providing desktop support to the National Security Agency.
He is a graduate of the Department of Homeland Security SES Candidate Development Program where he received his Key Executive Leadership Certificate from American University. He also is a graduate of the National Defense University Advanced Management Program.
Mr. Thomas holds a Master of Science degree in Information Assurance from Capitol College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Liberal Studies (Computer Information Systems) from Excelsior College. He is a certified information systems security professional and Microsoft certified systems engineer, as well as the recipient of the National Defense University Chief Information Officer certificate and National Security Telecommunications and Information Systems Security Instruction and Committee on National Security Systems 4011-4016 certificates.
Mr. Thomas served more than 20 years in the U.S. Navy as a cryptologic technician, collection analyst, and cryptologist. He was awarded four Navy Commendation Medals, one Navy Achievement Medal, two Meritorious Unit Commendation Medals, five Navy Good Conduct Medals, two National Defense Service Medals, and one Expert Marksmanship Medal.
Aaron Cherrington
Senior Principal Threat Analyst
Mandiant, Google Public Sector
Aaron Cherrington is a Senior Principal Threat Intelligence Analyst at Mandiant, which is now Part of Google Cloud. He has 20 years of experience supporting information systems and defensive cyber operations. He has previously worked in support of US Cyber Command, Defense Intelligence Agency, and NATO SHAPE. He joined Mandiant in 2012.
