Maryland to Create Cybersecurity Roundtable

Maryland industry executives and government officials are putting together a cybersecurity roundtable meant to bolster the state’s efforts to become a center for cybersecurity.

The roundtable, which will kick off with a meeting later this month, is meant to follow the model set by the Maryland Space Business Roundtable, an organization set up to help aerospace-related businesses in the state as well as handle educational outreach, said the Washington Post.

Several executives to help the state develop the roundtable include Deborah Bonanni, a former National Security Agency executive; Darrell Durst, vice president of cyber solutions at Lockheed Martin; Belkis Leong-Hong, who heads Gaithersburg-based IT company Knowledge Advantage; Leonard E. Moodispaw, chief executive of Hanover-based cybersecurity company KEYW; and Richard Schaeffer, also a former NSA executive, said the Washington Post.

Maryland isn’t the only state working on cybersecurity initiatives, said the Washington Post. Groups based in Virginia, including the Northern Virginia Technology Council, have made cybersecurity a key focus as well. Last year, former Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) announced the opening of the Mach37, a cyber accelerator, meant to speed the expansion of cybersecurity companies in the commonwealth, said the Washington Post.

ON DEMAND: Business-impacting events such as severe weather, man-made disasters, and supply chain disruption are increasing in frequency and making impacts around the globe.

In today's rapidly evolving security landscape, organizations face an ever-growing array of disruptive events, security threats and risks. Traditional reactive approaches to security intelligence often leave businesses vulnerable and ill-prepared to anticipate and mitigate emerging threats that could impact the safety of their people, facilities or operations.