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From the Fall 2025 Issue

From the Editor-in-Chief

Author(s):

Adam Firestone, Editor-in-Chief , United States Cybersecurity Magazine

Hello, October brings with it National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a yearly pause where the cybersecurity community recommits to basic principles and takes stock of the big picture. It’s a welcome ritual that reminds us that security is a shared responsibility. That being said, if this month is about awareness, it should also be about perspective, … Read more

From the Fall 2025 Issue

From the Publisher

Author(s):

Karen Austin, CEO, United States Cybersecurity Magazine

Greetings! Welcome to the Fall 2025 issue of United States Cybersecurity Magazine. As always, we extend our gratitude to our sponsors, contributors, and readers who make this publication possible. Your commitment to advancing cybersecurity is what keeps this community strong, forward-looking, and able to take on the continual challenge of American cybersecurity. October marks National … Read more

From the Fall 2025 Issue

Holistic Cybersecurity Platforms vs. Best-of-Breed Solutions: Weighing Integration Against Innovation

Author(s):

Justin Petitt, Strategic Capture Manager, Markon Solutions

Larry Letow, CEO, U.S., CyberCX

In today’s threat landscape, cybersecurity leaders face a familiar yet increasingly complex dilemma: whether to rely on a holistic platform solution where security is “baked in” or to adopt a best-of-breed approach, stitching together specialized tools that excel in specific domains. This debate—consolidated security platforms versus multi-tool ecosystems—has taken on heightened importance as organizations balance … Read more

From the Fall 2025 Issue

AI-Powered Software Factories: Accelerating The Mission in the Era of Great Power Competition

Author(s):

Danny Gershman, Founder and CEO, Radius Method

In December 2020, the cybersecurity world was rocked by the discovery of the SolarWinds breach, a sophisticated supply chain attack that compromised thousands of organizations, including critical U.S. government agencies. It was a stark reminder that in the 21st century, the frontlines are not just geographical—they are digital. Today’s conflicts are waged in cyberspace, where … Read more

From the Fall 2025 Issue

Unified Linkage Models: Recontextualizing Cybersecurity

Author(s):

Henry J. Sienkiewicz, Faculty, Former CIO, DISA, Georgetown and George Washington Universities

Unified Linkage Models

I. Introduction Cybersecurity frameworks have traditionally relied on a hierarchical approach to map assets, threats, and controls, mappings often done in a static, linear fashion.  While enormously useful and highly effective for baseline security posture, these models often fail to account for the dynamic and evolving relationships between system components. This is in part because … Read more

From the Fall 2025 Issue

States, Stakes and Your Stack

Author(s):

Chris Pogue, Director, Digital Forensics and Incident Response, CyberCX

Geopolitics isn’t background noise anymore; it’s in your threat model.  State-backed operators target the same clouds, identity systems, and vendors you rely on every day.  As Assistant Director of FBI Cyber Brett Leatherman put it: “Who among you can stand up to the PLA?  I hope you don’t think you can … because you can’t.” … Read more

From the Fall 2025 Issue

Unmasking the Encrypted Threat: Reclaiming Visibility in TLS 1.3 & QUIC Era

Author(s):

Gurdeep Gill, Software Engineer Technical Leader, CISCO Systems

Unmasking the Encrypted Threat - CISCO

For decades, encryption has served as the foundational pillar of digital security. It has rigorously safeguarded sensitive data and ensuring privacy across global networks. However, this core technology, while engineered as a protective measure, has counter-intuitively introduced a significant operational hurdle for modern cybersecurity teams. The widespread adoption of advanced protocols like TLS 1.3 and … Read more

From the Fall 2025 Issue

It’s Not If or How, But When You Will Be Subject to a Cyber Attack

Author(s):

Jacqui Magnes, CEO and Owner, COMSO, Inc. dba CISPOINT

CISPOINT

Gone Are the Days of Having a Lone ‘IT Guy’ Understanding the Inevitable The rapid evolution of cyber threats means that every organization, from multinational corporations to small nonprofits, is in the crosshairs. Cybercrime costs are projected to reach $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, according to Cybersecurity Ventures. Attackers are armed with automated tools that … Read more

From the Fall 2025 Issue

From On-Premises to the Cloud: Transforming Cyber Resilience for Mission-Critical Systems

Author(s):

Josh Salmanson, Vice President, Defensive Cyber Practice, Chair of the WashingtonExec Cyber Council, Leidos

Organizations across environments such as military platforms, base operations, industrial control systems/supervisory control and data acquisition (ICS/SCADA), internet of things (IoT), and operational technology (OT) systems face an evolving threat landscape driven by advancements in technology, increased interconnectivity, and the sophistication of adversaries. Cloud computing can significantly enhance the operations and resilience of systems across … Read more

From the Fall 2025 Issue

From Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) to Cybersecurity Service Provider (CSSP)

Author(s):

-Zemma Chachu, Program Manager, Leidos

Cesar Pie, Strategist, CSIOS

The 30 Year Journey of the U.S. Army’s C5ISR (Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) Center CSSP Since 1996, the C5ISR Center CSSP has cemented its position as one of the top Federal CSSPs protecting and defending a portion of the Department of War (DoW) cyberspace domain. In recognition of its upcoming … Read more