Author: Henry J. Sienkiewicz

Henry J. SienkiewiczHenry J. Sienkiewicz is a seasoned cybersecurity strategist, educator, and author with over three decades of experience in the public and private sectors. He is on faculty at Georgetown and George Washington Universities where he teaches graduate courses in cybersecurity, information assurance, and applied intelligence. His research work focuses on trust architectures, cyber risk frameworks, artificial intelligence, and digital sovereignty.

Mr. Sienkiewicz previously served as the Chief Information Officer and Approval Authority (AO) for the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), and is a retired Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel.

From the Fall 2025 Issue

Establishing Trustworthiness: An Adaptive Governance Approach

Author(s):

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

Introduction Modern cyber ecosystems increasingly resemble rhizomatic structures – non-hierarchical, lateral networks of interconnected nodes. With no clear center or periphery, this distributed topology promises resilience and agility. Rhizomatic structures complicate traditional notions of trust and security governance; trustworthiness becomes both paramount and challenging. Establishing trust in rhizomatic cyber environments requires an adaptive governance approach. … 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

Rhizomatic Threats in Practice: Applied Cybersecurity Modeling for Emergent Threat Landscapes

Author(s):

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

Introduction The rise of decentralized digital infrastructures and flexible adversary ecosystems has destabilized traditional cybersecurity assumptions. Threat actors today often operate not within rigid hierarchies but through fluid, self-organizing networks resembling rhizomes—a concept introduced by philosophers Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari (1987).[1] A rhizome, as described in A Thousand Plateaus, is a non-hierarchical, horizontally propagating … Read more

From the Summer 2025 Issue

Enhancing Financial Industry Cybersecurity Through the Integration of Quality Assurance

Author(s):

Alexandra Kochie, Control Manager, J.P. Morgan Chase

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

Enhancing Financial Industry Cybersecurity

American bank robber Willie Sutton was reportedly asked why he robbed banks and answered, “Because that is where the money is.”  The financial industry remains a prime target. Today, cybercriminals or bad actors target vulnerabilities in digital banking systems, payment infrastructures, and customer data. With a wide range of complex business operations, including the management … Read more

From the Summer 2025 Issue

From Detection to Direction: Security Operations Centers (SOCs) as Strategic Assets in Global Risk Management

Author(s):

Alessandro Azzaro, Independent Writer,

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

From Detection to Direction

Once a reactive help desk, the Security Operations Center (SOC) has evolved from dealing with trouble tickets, server logs, and alerts to the nerve center of enterprise resilience. What began as isolated cybersecurity monitoring has evolved into a system integrating physical, digital, and geopolitical threat information in real-time. Today’s SOCs are driven by artificial intelligence … Read more

From the Spring 2025 Issue

Integrating Internet of Things (IoT) Devices

Author(s):

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

Integrating Internet of Things Devices

These devices, all of these little devices.  The integration of Internet of Things (IoT) devices into society’s fabric has been dramatic and rapid, revolutionizing industries and interactions.[1] Smart building management devices provide real-time data on energy usage, occupancy, and environmental conditions. Connected cameras, sensors, and access control systems offer comprehensive surveillance and monitoring, enabling swift … Read more

From the Summer 2024 Issue

Cybersecurity and Nonprofits

Author(s):

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

Rick Smith, Vice President - IT Strategy, American Bankers Association

While all companies with an online profile are at risk, nonprofit organizations face significant challenges. Not only are they increasingly targeted by cybercriminals due to their valuable donor data, storage of financial information, and stance on specific political issues, but nonprofits often lack the resources and expertise to adequately protect their online systems and data. … Read more

From the Spring 2024 Issue

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With Cyber – the Consumer Package Goods Industry and Cybersecurity

Author(s):

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

introduction A doorbell rings, a text message arrives- a package has been delivered to a front porch or loading dock. The Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry delivers a wide range of products sold to consumers – safely, reliably, and routinely – from grocery stores to department stores. The CPG industry comprises businesses involved in producing, … Read more

From the Spring 2024 Issue

Digital Twins: Mirroring Business, Mirroring Cybersecurity Risks

Author(s):

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

Digital Twins

A digital twin is a virtual representation of a physical object, process, or system. Digital twins have emerged as a critical technology that fundamentally changes how companies design, monitor, and maintain their physical assets in today’s rapidly evolving industrial landscape. A digital twin is a virtual representation of a physical object, process, or system. Often … Read more

From the Winter 2024 Issue

Flashing Red Lights: Cybersecurity for Intelligent Transportation Systems

Author(s):

Christopher J. Brown, Author ,

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

Red lights, yellow lights, green lights. A flashing light?  A traffic warning sign?  Recognized as a critical infrastructure by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the transportation system is essential to modern life. From the skies to the seas to the railways to the roadways, and to bike lanes and pedestrian crossing, this highly complex … Read more