The Gate 15 Podcast Channel

In this episode of The Gate 15 Interview, Andy Jabbour talks with Robert (Bob) Kolasky, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Assistant Director, leading the National Risk Management Center (NRMC) since 2018. At the NRMC, Bob “oversees the Center’s efforts to facilitate a strategic, cross-sector risk management approach to cyber and physical threats to critical infrastructure. The Center provides a central venue for government and industry to combine their knowledge and capabilities in a uniquely collaborative and forward-looking environment. Center activities support both operational and strategic unified risk management efforts.
” Bob’s complete DHS bio (https://www.cisa.gov/bob-kolasky). Bob on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-kolasky-92ab554/). Bob on Twitter, @BobKolasky.

In the discussion we address:
• Bob’s background
• The CISA National Risk Management Center
• Election security and election integrity
• DHS’s role in 5G risk management
• DSH and climate change
• Designated sectors of critical infrastructure and some potential upcoming changes
• Growing up Gen X, music, pizza and more!

A few references mentioned in or relevant to our discussion include:

About the NRMC:
• The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) National Risk Management Center (NRMC)
• Visit the NRMC Initiatives to learn more about each initiative - https://www.cisa.gov/nrmc-initiatives
• Visit the NRMC Newsroom for the latest press releases, media advisories, and blog articles - https://www.cisa.gov/nrmc-newsroom
• Download and share the National Risk Management Center Fact Sheet - https://www.cisa.gov/publication/national-risk-management-center-fact-sheet

Additional background (general):
• NSA-CISA Series on Securing 5G Cloud Infrastructures
• Auto-ISAC. We tipped our hats to Auto-ISAC Executive Director, Faye Francy.
• The Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center™ (EI-ISAC®) was established by the EIS-GCC to support the cybersecurity needs of the elections subsector. Through the EI-ISAC, election agencies will gain access to an elections-focused cyber defense suite, including sector-specific threat intelligence products, incident response and remediation, threat and vulnerability monitoring, cybersecurity awareness and training products, and tools for implementing security best practices
• White House: Readout of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, 09 Jul (RE: ransomware).
• White House: FACT SHEET: Ongoing Public U.S. Efforts to Counter Ransomware, 13 Oct.
• White House: Background Press Call on the Virtual Counter-Ransomware Initiative Meeting, 13 Oct.
• White House: Joint Statement of the Ministers and Representatives from the Counter Ransomware Initiative Meeting October 2021, 14 Oct.

Space as critical infrastructure:
• The Gate 15 Interview Ep. 16: Erin Miller, Executive Director, Space ISAC. Securing Space Infrastructure (and terrestrial critical infrastructure too!)
• INSA: Designating Space Systems As New U.S. Critical Infrastructure Sector, 02 Nov.
• Space hacking risks pose cyber policy test for Biden admin, 02 Nov.
• Aspen Institute Panel: Space as Critical Infrastructure, 03 Nov.
• Space could be the next frontier for cyber threats, 08 Nov.
• FACT SHEET: Vice President Harris Announces Initiatives on Space and Cybersecurity, 10 Nov.

Faith-Based organizations as critical infrastructure:
• Security Debrief: A Letter to the Trump Administration – Establish a Faith-Based Sector of Critical Infrastructure, 15 Jun 2020.
• The Cybersecurity Evangelist: EP 8 – The ISAC Series, Part 4 – Faith-Based ISAO

Climate Change:
• DHS Actions: Climate Change - https://www.dhs.gov/dhs-actions-climate-change
• White House Fact Sheet: Prioritizing Climate in Foreign Policy and National Security, 21 Oct.
• DHS Strategic Framework for Addressing Climate Change. “The U.S. Department