SafeGov.Org Proposes New Approach to Reduce Public Sector Cyber and Data Protection Risk Levels

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- SafeGov.org today released its latest report titled "Measuring What Matters: Reducing Risk by Rethinking How We Evaluate Cybersecurity" during an event at the National Academy of Public Administration's office in Washington D.C. The report is designed to encourage government and industry experts to collaborate and implement a more effective framework and evaluation process to enhance the government's data protection posture.   

"We had an unmatched opportunity to bring together a group of cyber industry and government experts to address the threats our departments and agencies face every day," said Karen Evans, former administrator for e-government and IT at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and current national director for the U.S. Cyber Challenge. "We hope that this report – and the debates that surround it – will influence the direction of policy guidance for FISMA evaluations and influence the broader debate on improving data protection, privacy, information security risk management and oversight."

The proposed approach will reduce risk levels and outline change through the use of a risk management indicator. An Academy Panel of Fellows, led by Earl Devaney, former Chair of the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, will discuss the report and its recommendations as well as next steps toward implementation.

Mr. Devaney stated: "The Panel believes that the cybersecurity evaluation framework developed by SafeGov.org in this report is an important step toward building a more dynamic, risk-based approach that will yield more robust protection from cyber threats across the government."

SafeGov.org's recommendations were designed to align with the previous and ongoing work of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Energy, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

For detailed information on each of the proposed recommendations, the full report is available online at www.safegov.org and on the Academy's website at www.napawash.org.

About SafeGov.org:
SafeGov.org is an online forum for IT providers and leading industry experts dedicated to promoting trusted and responsible cloud computing solutions for the public sector. By fostering a more comprehensive understanding of cloud technologies, including their benefits, capabilities and limitations, SafeGov.org works to empower government users to make well-informed procurement choices from the growing universe of marketplace offerings.

About the Academy:
The National Academy of Public Administration is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, chartered by Congress, whose mission is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government at all levels. To learn more about the Academy visit www.napawash.org.

Contact: Jennifer Banks
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SOURCE SafeGov.org