What is the Cyber Moonshot Initiative?

We are excited to announce that our team will be kicking off our first official Cybersecurity Awareness Month by supporting the White House’s National Cyber Moonshot Initiative and upcoming Cyber Education Workshop scheduled for Oct. 5th and 6th.

Listen to this Special Cybr Podcast episode for more information!

What’s the purpose of this initiative?

The nation’s critical infrastructure is increasingly dependent on the Internet, while cybersecurity attacks are on the rise. Cybersecurity and National Security are now on the same footing, and require the same kinds of strategic vision. Enacting this vision will benefit all Americans, resulting in economic growth, increased security and privacy, and establishing global cybersecurity leadership in the United States.

To promote these goals, a National Cyber Moonshot report was created for the White House that called for a “whole of nation approach” for a safer, more resilient internet to deliver government and critical infrastructure services. This initiative echoes the bold, strategic original Moonshot challenge given to American scientists by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 to land humans on the moon. This time, the goal is a safer, more resilient use of the Internet to deliver government and critical infrastructure services securely.

The report has proposed a focus on six strategic pillars for a safe and secure internet to bring economic growth, national security, enhanced privacy, technology advances and global leadership benefits.

The Cyber Moonshot initiative has both short and long-term milestones that started in 2018 and will continue to drive the progress of this key initiative.

What is the purpose of the upcoming Cyber Education Workshop?

The goal of the Cyber Moonshot Education Pillar is as follows…

Goal: The Nation must dramatically increase the availability, quality, and diversity of cybersecurity talent for Cybersecurity Moonshot Initiative strategic focus areas, while also educating all citizens of their shared responsibilities in creating a safe and secure Internet environment.

The National Cyber Moonshot organization, in conjunction with Center for Internet Security, the I3P, American University, and Unisys is convening a workshop of leading experts and practitioners to look at breakthrough concepts and realities in use across the nation and around the world.

Workshop Participants from Corporations, Academic Institutions and Government Agencies will spend a few hours each day collaborating on SIX BIG QUESTIONS. They are…

INNOVATION: What’s the best example of innovation in cyber education you’ve come across, that others should know about?
TECHNOLOGY: 5G, AI, ID, and quantum are markedly different,. What specific cyber education efforts would help address their current and future workforce needs?
DIVERSITY: Diversity can significantly help the cyber workforce shortages. What examples do you know of that are working to identify, cultivate, and hire diverse sources of workforce talent?
PARTNERSHIPS: Whole of nation efforts require real partnerships. What private/public partnerships do you propose that can accelerate cyber education?
HOLLYWOOD: White papers won’t work. How could Hollywood help educate people to become better cyber citizens?
POST-COVID: This too shall pass, but life will be different. How must cyber education adjust to the changes wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic?

Have Ideas / Thoughts To Share?

If you have thoughts, ideas, experiences or suggestions to contribute in, please SHARE those with us in our Cybr Discord channel on Cyber Moonshot.

We want to make sure your voices are represented at this event. Feedback from our Cybr Community will be compiled and shared with the Cyber Education Workshop coordinators and participants!

Cyber Education Workshop Co-Hosts:

Managing Director, National Cyber Moonshot Inc: Tom Patterson is the Chief Trust Officer of Unisys, and served as the co-lead of the NSTAC’s Cyber Moonshot working group.
Bobbie Stempfley has served at both DHS and CERT, and now works for Dell’s office of the CISO.

Cyber Education Workshop Speakers:

NSTAC Moonshot Co-Leader Peter Altabef is Chairman and CEO of Unisys.
Dr. Beverly Scott is an NIAC member and infrastructure-focused executive management consultant specializing in workforce development at all levels; advancing practical approaches and solutions to challenging situations that advance equity and inclusion – and help to achieve positive outcomes for “all” people and communities.
Mark Montgomery serves as the Executive Director of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, and as a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy. He most recently served as Policy Director for the Senate Armed Services Committee under the leadership of Senator John S. McCain.
Eric Lankford is a founding partner of K12 SIX, offering cybersecurity resilience to keep school districts running and students learning. Kindergarten to Twelfth Grade Security Information Exchange – K12 SIX – is a threat intelligence sharing community for school districts to prevent and respond to cyberthreats, together.
Toni Benson is the Deputy Associate Director, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, focused on cyber education issues, and was a valuable facilitator at a preparatory workshop held this summer.