The Interoperability of Cyber Threat Data in the Public Sector
By DOF
February 9, 2023

Sharing threat data across the public sector refers to the exchange and sharing of threat intelligence information between different government agencies, organizations, and departments. The goal of this type of data sharing is to provide a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of security threats, and to enhance the overall security posture of the public sector.

There are several challenges to sharing threat data in the public sector, including security and privacy concerns, regulatory compliance, and the need to maintain the confidentiality of sensitive information. However, these challenges can be addressed through the use of secure data sharing platforms, encryption, and other data protection measures.

There are several benefits to sharing threat data in the public sector, including:

  • Improved threat detection and response: Sharing threat data enables organizations to have a more complete view of the threat landscape, allowing for more accurate and timely threat detection and response.
  • Enhanced collaboration: Sharing threat data facilitates collaboration between different government agencies and organizations, leading to a more coordinated and effective response to security threats.
  • Increased efficiency: By sharing threat data, organizations can avoid duplication of efforts and reduce the time and resources needed to gather and analyze threat information.
  • Better risk management: Sharing threat data enables organizations to better understand the potential impact of security threats and make more informed risk management decisions.

As we continue to support public (and private) sector entities, industry-driven policy development through our Policy-as-a-Service offering will become more valuable. Using the insights and hard-learned lessons of those around, we can build IT policies for both resilience and prevention. These can address network security, shape incident response practices, data privacy standards, and physical security strategy to limit IT exposure.

IT won’t be perfect. It’s about risk management. Identifying, categorizing, and reducing your total number of risks each day, building enough trip wires and attack plan to make finding and fixing issues a rapid, controlled process rather than a chaotic one.

There are several places where government entities share cybersecurity data:

  • Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISACs) for industry-specific organizations that provide a secure platform for the sharing of cybersecurity information among government agencies and critical infrastructure organizations.
  • Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) for state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments to share and receive cybersecurity information.
  • Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), a government agency responsible for protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure from cyber threats, provides a platform for the sharing of cybersecurity information and intelligence between government agencies, the private sector, and international partners.
  • National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC), a government agency responsible for providing real-time situational awareness, analysis, and incident response to protect and defend the nation’s critical infrastructure against cyber threats. NCCIC serves as a central hub for the sharing of cybersecurity information and intelligence among government agencies, the private sector, and international partners.
  • Law enforcement and intelligence agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and the National Security Agency (NSA), share cybersecurity information and intelligence among themselves and with other government agencies to help protect against cyber threats.