Friday, April 6, 2012

InfraGard Nations Capital Members Alliance (INCMA) for the April session of the 2012 Lecture Series


Please join the InfraGard Nations Capital Members Alliance (INCMA) for the April session of the 2012 Lecture Series!

Who: InfraGard Nations Capital Members Alliance members and guests (this meeting is open to the public)

What: Anonymous Payment Systems, Virtual Worlds, and Cyber Crime

When: Wed., April 11th from 5:00pm - 8:00pm 

Light fare will be provided. The program will not start until 5:30pm, allowing for arrival, check-in, and refreshments.

Where: CSC, 15000 Conference Center Drive, Chantilly, VA 20151

Why: Anonymous payment systems and virtual worlds are providing a forum for cyber criminals to transact business outside the regulated banking system.  Come hear to experts, representing the perspectives of law enforcement and the private sector, as they discuss the proliferation of these tools by cyber criminals to stay outside the reach of the law!

How: Register at http://incma04112012.eventbrite.com. There is a $25 fee to attend.

Our speakers:
Scott Dueweke was appointed by President Reagan to the U.S. Agency for International Development at the U.S. Department of State.  He helped pioneer the field of ecommerce, specifically secure payments, presenting at the first Internet World Conference in 1994 on the topic.  Mr. Dueweke then led marketing for IBM’s Internet Payments group, and went on to develop P2P and non-traditional payment systems.  During this period he also created and led a humanitarian non-profit group called Freedom Flight International (FFI).  The organization flew small aircraft over the Florida Straits working with the U.S. Coast Guard to rescue Cuban rafters.  He now leads Virtual Identity efforts at Booz Allen Hamilton.  This role builds upon his decades of experience in the financial services industry, the Internet, and government, to examine identity holistically.  Virtual identity includes anonymity, pseudonymity, and the projection of identity in virtual worlds, online games, and social networking sites, as well as anonymous payment systems.


Catherine "Alden" Pelker is an intelligence analyst for the FBI, specializing in virtual currency and electronic payment processors.  She is currently assigned to the FBI's Cyber Intelligence Section through the FBI's Financial Crimes Section.  Prior to this assignment, Alden worked with the Asset Forfeiture/Money Laundering Unit on international money laundering investigations, identifying emerging tools, techniques, and methods used to evade law enforcement and formulating strategy to mitigate these threats.  Alden has served as the FBI liaison to the Global Illicit Financial Team and is spearheading an FBI Virtual Currency/Emerging Trends working group.  She graduated from Yale University with a degree in political science.
Directions:
CSC is located south of Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, VA. Directions are as follows:
Take I-66 west to exit 53, Route 28. Take Route 28 north for approximately 1 1/2 miles. Take exit for Westfields Blvd, heading west. Take the first right onto Stonecroft Blvd. Turn left onto Conference Center Drive. CSC (15000 Conference Center Drive) will be on your left. Large, red "CSC" letters are on the roof line of the building. The sign as you turn into the parking area reads "Washington Technology Park." Drive past the front of the building and follow signs for "Conference Center Visitor Parking." Proceed to the entrance marked "Washington Technology Park Conference Center."

There should be ample parking in the immediate area of the conference center. However, you may also park in the rear of the building or in the visitor spots (of which there are only a few) directly in front of the building.

FOIA, I hardly know ya! (Yearly Report Card on Federal Government’s efforts to track and manage Freedom of Information Act requests)


http://www.ostglobalsolutions.com/index.htm



The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests are a critical element of business development and capture. This is how you learn about a pursuit’s history and your competition. The problem is – FOIA requests are tricky:
OST proposal management process: proposal kick-off (integration phase), pink team and proposal drafting (planning phase), red team and proposal writing (writing phase), proposal polishing and gold team (polishing phase), proposal editing, printing, and shipping (publication phase), and proposal debriefs and lessons learned (post-proposal phase)
  • They take forever to obtain – so someone needs to carefully track them and follow up relentlessly to get any results – sometimes taking months and rendering your requests useless for your capture effort.
  • They have a potential to tick off your competition as they will know who is requesting – and if you tend to team with this competitor on occasion, you may want to be strategic as to what you request.
  • Third-party FOIA requests through services such as GovWin IQ and Centurion are great. They are faster as these services have established contacts in FOIA offices and they have personnel to follow up. The party whose documents are subject to FOIA doesn’t know who is requesting the FOIA documents. The downside is, now that these services have gone through the effort of fetching the information for you, they may also reuse this information to provide it to your competitors. Brilliant move on your part to FOIA something. Now your competitors subscribing to these services will have a reason to thank you. This may or may not matter to you.
Now it promises to be even harder to get FOIA documents – the length of time is stretching to close to a year. On March 15th, 2012 the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, released their yearly Report Card on Federal Government’s efforts to track and manage FOIA requests. This report is critical of the federal government’s tracking of how it processes and responds to FOIA requests. Agencies got anaverage grade of C-. FOIA logs were requested to be graded based on a few criteria: names of FOIA requesters on log, tracking numbers for requests, descriptions of material sought, and whether records were in fact released. There are now as many as 13-months delays in some requests.
There are two things to consider:
  1. These grades are an indication of a willingness and ability by certain agencies FOIA offices to show accountability and transparency. You should be concerned about how difficult it is to obtain the information needed to help us decide to pursue an opportunity, enrich our capture efforts, and produce a proposal.
  2. See if the agencies that received an F grade are part of your customer list. There were two reasons to receive this grade: either the agency did not respond to FOIA requests – which in itself is a bad sign – or failed to produce them in digital format (which is a FOIA rule). In this case, save yourself an effort and don’t count on FOIA information – try to find it in other ethical ways.
If you would like to see the report card, you can download it herehttp://bit.ly/HQfLx4
What does this report mean to you? Well, a couple of things. First, start waaaay early with your capture. If you feel that you need to FOIA documents, plan for months of waiting to get them. Second, use the resources available to you to their maximum, such as the paid services that can help you. However, be strategic about it, you may get the information faster and anonymously, but know that others may get it as well. There is no difference in the thought process when asking questions about an RFP in a public forum: is getting what you need worth making your competition better off?

Capture and Proposal Seminars
Don’t miss early bird registration pricing – it ends 3 weeks before each class. Register at www.ostglobalsolutions.com/training/schedule
Date, 2012Class Name
April 17-18 Foundations of Capture Management
April 19-20 Foundations of Proposal Management
April 23-24 Proposal Speed-Writing and Persuasion
May 14-15 Preparing Winning Multiple Award and Task Order Proposals
May 16 Cost Proposal Strategy for Proposal Managers
June 19-20 Advanced Capture Management
June 21-22 Advanced Proposal Management
July 19 Proposal Win Themes Development Workshop
July 20 Executive Summaries For Winning Proposals Workshop
If you don’t find a class that suits your schedule, consider us for on-site corporate training at your company, or for a webinar for your dispersed workforce if you have multiple locations.

Useful Proposal Resources

P.S.: As always – if you need business development, capture and proposal consulting or training support, contact us at 301-384-3350 or at service@ostglobalsolutions.com

P.P.S.: Feel free to forward this newsletter to others who may find it useful. If you have received this from a colleague and would like to sign up yourself, here is where you can do it: http://www.ostglobalsolutions.com/eZine-signup.htm.


Written by Olessia Smotrova-Taylor, President and CEO of OST Global Solutions, Inc. Olessia is a currently practicing capture and proposal manager who has won more than $17 Billion in new business. As one of the proposal industry leaders, she served on the Board of Directors of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals' (APMP) National Capital Area (NCA) chapter as the editor and chair of the APMP NCA Executive Summary eZine for 4 years since 2008, and as a president for 2012. She regularly presents at the APMP's international and other conferences, roundtables, and proposal boot camps, and runs popular training webinars on business development. She has 16 years of experience in proposal and capture management, marketing, and communications. She is a prolific author, speaker, trainer, and blogger, and is well-known in the global proposal community. Her self-study course, Executive Summary Secrets, sells worldwide. Prior to starting her own consulting company, she won business for Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, and wrote for the Financial Times of London. Olessia can be reached at otaylor@ostglobalsolutions.com or at 301-384-3350.

4th Law Enforcement IT Day 2012. April 18, 2012


4th Law Enforcement IT Day 2012
 

 
Law enforcement and national security depends on adaptation—adaptation to the economy, adaptation to technology and adaptation to criminal methodologies. As budgetary cutbacks become commonplace in the Federal government, creativity in new technology initiatives must take precedence as agencies are increasingly expected to do more with less. Law enforcement agencies and officers will need to use new tools, including, data analytics, secure mobility, biometrics and even social media to more effectively track, detain and prosecute criminals.

AFCEA Bethesda invites you to Law Enforcement IT Day 2012 for a look at how these new technologies and processes are redefining the way law enforcement agencies adapt to budgetary constraints and the evolution of criminal devices and tactics. The event will bring together more than 400 senior government leaders and IT professionals across industry and Federal agencies such as DOJ, DHS, State, Treasury and DOD to foster better communications, share lessons learned and best practices, and identify mission-critical IT issues. It will focus on federal initiatives and programs that harness current and emerging technologies to better protect and improve the safety and security of U.S. citizens.

 
Register today and benefit from:
  • Networking opportunities with more than 400 senior executives and IT professionals
  • Keynote presentations and panel discussions from key stakeholders at critical agencies such as DOJ, FBI, DHS, ICE, CBP, State, and Treasury, among others, responsible for achieving Federal law enforcement objectives through the use of IT
  • Federal roundtables allow Q&A opportunities to discuss challenges, trends and initiatives between government and industry that will lead to innovation and economic growth
    • Topics include: mobile force engagement, mobile security, data analytics, cloud computing, shared services, biometrics, information sharing, cyber defense, cyber incident response and social media as an investigative tool
  • Program updates from IT program and project managers and Department leaders
  • Small Business Innovation Luncheon featuring more than 125 small business representatives and systems integrators to look at real and planned set-aside programs throughout the health IT community
  • Meet one-on-one with Federal program offices such as FBI InfraGard, CJIS, LEO, NIEM PMO and NITAAC to discuss future law enforcement focused information technology opportunities and how the private sector can improve technology requirements
  • Receive continuing education credits from the Graduate School USA, an independent, educational, not-for-profit that prepares and advance your career in government, private sector and non-for-profit organizations
Wednesday, April 18, 2012 

Bethesda North Marriott and Conference Center –
5701 Marinelli Road, North Bethesda, MD 20852

Webinar: Societal security – Emergency management – Requirements for incident response. April 11, 2012.


BEMA is a partner organization of EIPP.

ISO Technical Committee 223 on Societal Security Update

April 11, 2012 -- 12:00 Noon Eastern

In follow up to our last program on emergency management standards, EMForum.org is pleased to host a one hour presentation and interactive discussion Wednesday, April 11, 2012, beginning at 12:00 Noon Eastern time (please convert to your local time). Our topic will be an update on the activities of ISO Technical Committee 223 since our last program during 2008. This past December, ISO announced the publication of a new standard, ISO 22320:2011, Societal security – Emergency management – Requirements for incident response.


Photo of Dr. Dean LarsonOur guests will include Dean Larson, Ph.D., CEM®, Chair of the U.S. Technical Advisory Group and Head of Delegation to Technical Committee 223. Dr. Larson also serves as a Commissioner on the Indiana Emergency Response Commission and chairs the Certified Emergency Manager (CEM®) USA Commission. He is project lead for the development of the first ISO Standard on exercises and testing. Additional certifications include Safety Professional (CSP) and Business Continuity Lead Auditor (CBCLA).


Photo of Orlando HernandezAlso joining us will be Orlando P. Hernandez, Senior Specialist with the National Fire Protection Association. Mr. Hernandez has over 20 years of experience conducting and administering Fire and Life Safety Inspection Programs for the State of Texas Fire Marshal's Office and Bexar County. He also has over 16 years of Fire Investigation experience and 6 years of experience as an Emergency Management Coordinator and Incident Management Team responder.


Photo of Brian ZawadaOur final presenter will be Brian Zawada, Co-founder and Director of Consulting for Avalution Consulting, a global firm specializing in business continuity solution design, development, implementation and long-term program maintenance. Mr. Zawada previously served on the ASIS International Technical Committee that authored the new American National Standard on business continuity and currently serves on the US Technical Advisory Group charged with authoring the new family of ISO Societal Security standards, including ISO 22301.
Please make plans to join us, and see the Background Page for links to related resources and the new Instructions. If this will be your first time to participate, you may set up WebEx in advance. On the day of the program you may use the Webinar Login link not more than 30 minutes before the scheduled time.


As always, please feel free to extend this invitation to your colleagues.

EIIP and Jacksonville State University are now partnering to offer CEUs for attending EMForum.org Webinars.  See http://www.emforum.org/CEUs.htm for details.

Is your organization interested in becoming an EIIP Partner? Click here to review our Mission, Vision, and Guiding Principles and access the Memorandum of Partnership.

Cybersecurity: Interesting reading. Kingpin

http://kingpin.cc/



KINGPIN: How One Hacker Took Over the Billion-Dollar Cybercrime Underground, by Kevin Poulsen
Former hacker Kevin Poulsen has, over the past decade, built a reputation as one of the top investigative reporters on the cybercrime beat.  In Kingpin, he pours his unmatched access and expertise into book form for the first time, delivering a gripping cat-and-mouse narrative—and an unprecedented view into the twenty-first century’s signature form of organized crime.
The word spread through the hacking underground like some unstoppable new virus:  Someone—some brilliant, audacious crook—had just staged a hostile takeover of an online criminal network that siphoned billions of dollars from the US economy.
The FBI rushed to launch an ambitious undercover operation aimed at tracking down this new kingpin; other agencies around the world deployed dozens of moles and double agents.  Together, the cybercops lured numerous unsuspecting hackers into their clutches…yet at every turn, their main quarry displayed a seemingly uncanny ability to sniff out their snitches and see through their plots.
The culprit they sought was the most unlikely of criminals, a brilliant programmer with a hippie ethic and a supervillain’s double identity.  As prominent ‘white hat’ hacker Max ‘Vision’ Butler, he was a celebrity throughout the programming world, even served as a consultant for the FBI.  But as the black-hat ‘Iceman,’ he found in the world of data theft an irresistible opportunity to test his outsized abilities.  He infiltrated thousands of computers around the country, sucking down millions of credit card numbers at will.  He effortlessly hacked his fellow hackers, stealing their ill-gotten gains from under their noses.  Together with a smooth-talking con artist, he ran a massive real-world crime ring.
And for years, he did it all with seeming impunity, even as countless rivals fell afoul of police.
Yet as he watched the fraudsters around him squabble, their ranks riddled with infiltrators, their methods inefficient…he began to see in their dysfunction the ultimate challenge.  He would stage his coup and fix what was broken, run things as they should be run—even if it meant painting a bullseye on his forehead.
Through the story of this criminal’s remarkable rise, and of law enforcement’s quest to track him down,Kingpin lays bare the workings of a silent crime wave still affecting millions of Americans.  In these pages, we watch as a new generation of for-profit hackers cobbles together a criminal network that today stretches from Seattle to St. Petersburg to Shanghai. We are ushered into vast online-fraud supermarkets stocked with credit card numbers, counterfeit checks, hacked bank accounts, dead drops, and fake passports. We learn the workings of the numerous hacks—browser exploits, phishing attacks, Trojan horses, and much more—these fraudsters use to ply their trade, and trace the complex routes by which they turn stolen data into millions of dollars.  And, thanks to Poulsen’s remarkable access to both cops and criminals, we step inside the quiet, desperate arms-race law enforcement continues to fight with these scammers today.
Ultimately, Kingpin is a journey into an underworld of startling scope and power, one in which ordinary American teenagers work hand-in-hand with murderous Russian mobsters, in which a simple wi-fi connection can unleash a torrent of gold worth millions.

RECOMMENDED READING LIST

Search This Blog

ARCHIVE List 2011 - Present