'Cyber Security Epicenter' Maryland Jockeying for Position

By Susan Kim, STAFF WRITER

As Gov. Martin O'Malley announced plans to promote Maryland as the "national epicenter" for cyber security innovation, local business leaders hoped this would translate into an expanding marketplace and more opportunities for cyber security-related startups.
Christian Johansson, secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, said that a strong cyber security sector is vitally important, not only to firms involved specifically in that work, but to the business world in general.
"Today, almost everything that you manufacture has some sort of computer technology in it, and we are all increasingly connected to computer networks. Cyber security has taken on an ever-growing and increasing significance," he said.
Many experts believe that the nation is more vulnerable to cyber attacks than to attacks on airplanes, he added, projecting a significant increase in the amount of federal spending in the cyber security arena.
"By 2014, the overall market in the federal sector alone for cyber security will be close to $12 billion - and that's just beginning to scratch the surface."
He said Maryland's leaders will follow up on their vision by further defining what policy-related steps will actively position the state as the epicenter for cyber security.

'We're Being Attacked Right Now'
If businesspeople have been dismissing cyber security as an ethereal technology that doesn't affect them, they need to think again, said Sarah Djamshidi, executive director of the Chesapeake Innovation Center.
"Cyber attacks are very much a reality," Djamshidi said. "We're being attacked right now. It takes a lot of effort to protect us. This isn't some sort of fantasy. It's being done as we speak."
Most people are not aware of the behind-the-scenes cyber protection that occurs on a massive level every day, she said. "There is a constant need for innovation in this area."
O'Malley said he plans to work with the state's Washington delegation to vie for billions in government spending on efforts to protect computer networks. Maryland is well-positioned because so many major defense agencies are based in or near the state, he said. The state held the first CyberMaryland summit in January, when it released an assessment of its technology industry.
Maryland's presence is also being promoted on other levels; Sen. Barbara Mikulski, for instance, sits on the intelligence and appropriations committees, and business leaders are hoping that her influence and seniority would help boost the state's visibility as a cyber security leader.

Agility and Experience Key to Success
Those in the cyber security field acknowledge that they work in one of the most rapidly changing sectors in the world. "Information security is a fast-moving and ever-evolving challenge," said Stephen Kolbe, president of AnalySYS. "Consequently, our national cyber security strategy depends upon agile, proven expertise."
Kolbe agreed with policymakers that Maryland is better positioned because of its tight connection with government agencies.
"With close proximity to other similarly charged agencies, and a workforce that is second only to Silicon Valley in its size and breadth of knowledge, Maryland is, without a doubt, the right choice," he said.
An expansion in the public sector will bring more jobs to the state, Kolbe said.
"As for individual Marylanders, this public sector expansion promises to create new quality jobs and new contracting opportunities," he said. "Computer security is, in general, a skill set within IT that pays wages far above average."
The MITRE Corp. is also placing a higher emphasis on cyber security, said Gary Gagnon, vice president of MITRE's Center for Integrated Intelligence Systems, who assumed the role of corporate director for cyber security in January.
"With the expansion of the Department of Defense in the Fort Meade area, Maryland has become a focal point for cyber security and MITRE has expanded its operation here to be part of that," he said.

Increasing Visibility
Though many cyber security efforts are top secret, in general, security has become a much more visible part of the array of products offered within the IT industry, said Matthew Scholl, group manager of security management and assurance at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
"Anecdotally, look at the IT industry advertisements and how security is mentioned as part of general purpose IT items now, where in the past this was not the case," he said.
During the summit, O'Malley called for the establishment of a National Center for Excellence for Cyber Security in Maryland. He also advocated for more education and workforce training, and an economic development strategy for cyber security in the state.
When examining the area's high tech horizon, it's easy to understand the governor's call to move forward: Besides NIST, Maryland is home to the National Security Agency and the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity. All three agencies are responsible for honing the nation's cyber defense technology.
Maryland is also positioning itself to be the location of the Pentagon's joint cyber command, an agency that will oversee cyber security for the Department of Defense. The numbers bear out the ideas behind such expansion, as Maryland ranks first in federal research and development spending on a per capita basis, and second in federal research and development investment.
In addition, a report released by the state showed that the computer design and services sector, which includes cyber security, employs about 60,000 workers in Maryland, and grew 7.2% last year - despite the national recession.