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FORT MEADE, Md. - As part of the Enduring Security Framework (ESF), the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) published the Recommended Best Practices Guide for Administratorsto provide system administrators with actionable recommendations to better secure their systems from threats to Identity and Access Management (IAM).

IAM is a framework of business processes, policies, and technologies that facilitate the management of digital identities. It ensures that users only gain access to data when they have the appropriate credentials.

In 2021, Colonial Pipeline, a major Southeast oil pipeline system, suffered a major ransomware attack, disrupting the oil/gas distribution system and causing long lines at the gas station and consumer panic. Many people know about the attack and the exploitation of the company for money, but many dont realize that the attack happened because of a leaked password, an inactive VPN account, and a lack of multifactor authentication all of which can be summed up as poor IAM.

Malicious cyber actors attempt to hide their activity by exploiting legitimate credentials, either of authorized personnel or of the systems that act on behalf of legitimate users, said Alan Laing, NSA lead for the IAM working group. Rigorous Identity and Access Management allows an organization the ability to detect and thwart these actors persistent efforts to corrupt critical systems and access information of national importance.The paper provides best practices and mitigations to counter threats to IAM related to the following five topics:

Environmental Hardening

Identity Federation/Single Sign-On

Multi-Factor Authentication

IAM auditing and monitoring

"IAM is a critical part of every organization's security posture, and we must work collectively with the public and private sector to advance more secure by default and secure by design IAM solutions," said Grant Dasher, Office of the Technical Director for Cybersecurity, CISA. "The ESF's best practices guide is a valuable first step to aid critical infrastructure organizations' efforts to assess and strengthen their IAM solutions and processes. We look forward to further collaborations with our partners to improve the IAM ecosystem and aid organizations in achieving a more resilient posture."This release is accompanied by an Identity and Access Management Educational Aid presentation and associated talking pointsto support organizational technical leaders in explaining to decision makers the benefits of a robust IAM program and the associated risks of not implementing one.This guidance was developed and published by an NSA and CISA led working panel with ESF, a public-private cross-sector partnership that aims to address risks that threaten critical infrastructure and national security systems.

Read the full report here.Visit our full library for more cybersecurity information and technical guidance.

NSA Media RelationsMediaRelations@nsa.gov443-634-0721

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ESF Partners, NSA, and CISA Release Identity and Access ... - National Security Agency

FORT MEADE, Md. - The National Security Agency (NSA) made further progress in 2022 in its efforts to build and sustain a diverse workforce critical to fulfilling the Agency's foreign signals intelligence and cybersecurity missions. A record 15.6% of new hires in 2022 self-identified as a person with a disability."We are proud of our strong hiring program, but that is only the first step in an employee's journey," said Teisha Anthony, Chief of Talent Management. "We need to be equally committed to inclusion and accessibility to fully support the people we bring on board."The People with Disabilities Employee Resource Group (PWD ERG) recently collaborated with the Cybersecurity Directorate (CSD) to host a panel discussion about ways to boost accessibility to help retain the best and brightest to support NSA's mission.A representative from the Office of Physical Security said that medical devices have grown increasingly smarter in recent years, which has posed a security challenge that the team is working hard to address: "We're actively engaged with medical device users, the PWD ERG, Research Directorate, and technical subject matter experts from across the Agency to identify and implement new mitigations while providing the greatest possible accommodation for affiliates who rely on these devices for their health and well-being."In a separate effort, CSD launched a new corporate initiative that offers many printed materials in braille to benefit Agency employees with disabilities. Other NSA organizations have undertaken similar campaigns, heeding the call to ensure reasonable accommodations for every employee."Providing support to the PWD population is absolutely critical to the success of NSA's mission," said the chair of the PWD ERG. "There's been a lot of improvement in this space, but there's still room to grow.""We won't be able to maintain an up-to-date understanding of our adversary without continuing to hire the best and brightest disabled employees."Learn more about NSA's policies on reasonable accommodations.Apply now: intelligencecareers.gov/nsa

NSA Media RelationsMediaRelations@nsa.gov443-634-0721

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NSA Hires Record Number of People with Disabilities, Undertakes ... - National Security Agency

Armed Forces Entertainment (AFE) set the alley-oop with NSA Naples Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) for a slam dunk event as The Harlem Globetrotters took to the court at Naples Middle High School (NMHS).

MWR capitalized on assists to make this event a success.

MWR was supported by NSA Naples Red Cross, USO, the Fire Department, Security and community volunteers, said Chris Kasparek, NSA Naples MWR Community Recreation Director.

The team, who has performed at NSA Naples in previous years, made its first appearance since the pandemic.

I think this event specifically signifies that we have significantly made the turn out of COVID here at NSA Naples, said Kasparek. It is a step forward for our entire community.

Globetrotters Guard, Darnell Speedy expressed how excited he was to be back on a military tour.

I came to Naples in November 2019 [] It actually was the last military tour before the pandemic, said Speedy. Now I am on the first military tour since COVID, and it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I get another opportunity to share these moments with these people.

The night of slam-dunks, fast breaks and laughter was one of the most popular events of the season. Tickets for the event sold out within days. The anticipation of the event was evident as fans packed the NMHS gym.

We had the coolest experience last night with the Harlem Globetrotters, said community member Dana Elmini. They are true entertainers and made everyone feel special and leave with a story! Thank you AFE and NSA Naples MWR for making this happen!

The Globetrotters visited NSA Naples as part of a military tour with AFE that began March 14 at Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella.

This tour is made up of 11 shows, across 10 bases in three countries, said AFE Regional Manager Michele Krieg.

This is the 19th year of the Harlem Globetrotters military tour with AFE, Krieg added.

Kasparek says these events are special to the military community.

It is important for the families here to know they are being reached by those stateside and by those that appreciate what they do for our country, said Kasparek.

With shows such as this, AFE makes it their mission to provide the best performances for U.S. troops and family members stationed overseas and serve as the biggest morale booster for U.S. Troops.

The nearly two-decade old partnership between AFE and the team is only a small part of the Globetrotters history in entertainment.

The Globetrotters began as a team of reunited high school players in Chicago, Illinois in 1926.

Since 1926, they have entertained more that 148 million fans in 123 countries and territories around the world.

NSA Naples is an operational ashore base that enables U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to be where they are needed, when they are needed to ensure security and stability in the European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility.

For more news on NSA Naples, please follow us on Instagram @NSANaples and Facebook at facebook.com/NSANaples/.

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The Harlem Globetrotters Euro Step Over to NSA Naples - navy.mil

Rebecca Richards, former civil liberties and privacy officer of the National Security Agency, has been appointed chief of civil liberties, privacy, and transparency at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

As chief transparency officer, she is responsible for protecting constitutional rights and privacy within the agency, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines announced Thursday.

Richards joined NSA in 2014 and is credited for the establishment of its Civil Liberties and Privacy Office. She also held similar roles at the Department of Homeland Security.

Before becoming a privacy expert, Richards worked as an international trade specialist at the Department of Commerce. She later assumed various job posts at TRUSTe, a nonprofit organization known for its privacy seal.

Haines, a three-time Wash100 awardee, also acknowledged outgoing CLPT chief Ben Huebner. As ODNI welcomes Becky, I would also like to express my sincerest gratitude and congratulations to Ben Huebner, our previous Chief of CLPT since July 2019. I am very thankful, though, that Ben will continue to serve in the IC.

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Former NSA Privacy Officer Rebecca Richards Named ... - Executive Gov

Among those detained by the Punjab Police under the National Security Act (NSA) amid the ongoing crackdown on radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh, is a clerk with the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) whose father was allegedly picked up by police in 1993 during militancy and never returned.

Kulwant Singh Rauke (38), from Rauke Kalan village of Moga, as per the police, is an active member of Waris Punjab De, the outfit headed by Amritpal. Kulwant is considered very close to Amritpal and used to attend all his programmes.

A senior police official said that Kulwant was detained from his home in the presence of his family and village panchayat members Monday late. According to Moga Police, his arrest warrants under NSA were procured by Amritsar rural police for his alleged role in the storming of Ajnala police station complex on February 23. After being detained, he was handed over to Amritsar police.

Speaking to The Indian Express, his sister Jaswinder Kaur said that police had been on the lookout for Kulwant ever since the crackdown on Waris Punjab De began on Saturday.

On Monday evening, we ourselves called the police and my brother surrendered. He is a PSPCL employee, not a criminal. He did nothing wrong if he was supporting Waris Punjab De for encouraging youths to get baptized. My brother is also an Amritdhari Sikh. He used to attend religious congregations of other organizations also, said Jaswinder Kaur.

She claimed that earlier, the police had said that they will only counsel my brother so that he doesnt get involved in any anti-social activities and doesnt organize any protest. We assured them that he will not indulge in any such activity. He was scheduled to join duty from Wednesday. But they took him away without telling us that what is the case and under which law, said the sister.

She said that in March 1993, their father Charhat Singh, who was then the sarpanch of the village, was picked up by the police and never returned. Till date we do not know if he died, if he was killed in a fake encounter or he is still alive. We do not have any proof of his death, said Jaswinder, adding at the time she was not born and her brother was nine years old.

From the day of March 25, 1993 to now, we do not that what police did to our father. Today when they took my brother, we recorded videos and also called panchayat to ensure everything was on record, she added.

Moga SSP J Elanchezhian, meanwhile, said that Kulwant was arrested after his warrants under the NSA were received from Amritsar rural police.

Earlier, police had detained Bhagwant Singh alias Pardhan Mantri Bajeke, Basant Singh and Gurmeet Singh Bukkanwala from Moga; Amritpals uncle Harjit Singh from Amritsar and Daljeet Singh Kalsi from Gurgaon under the NSA and they have been taken to Dibrugarh prison in Assam.

IG Sukhchain Singh Gill said that till now eight have been booked under NSA including Amritpal Singh of which 7 have been detained. Gurinderpal Singh Guri Aujla from Kapurthala has also been held under NSA.

Also detained under NSA, Amritpals social media handler

A resident of the United Kingdom, who had previously been arrested while trying to fly out of the country on March 9, was nabbed again by Punjab Police from Kapurthala on Tuesday for being an alleged close aide of radical preacher Amritpal Singh.

The arrested man was identified as Gurinderpal Singh alias Guri Aujla (44) and has been booked under the stringent National Security Act (NSA).

According to the police, Gurinderpal was handling the Twitter account of Amritpal Singh and was very active on social media.

Giving more details, the police said that Gurinderpals father lives in Phagwara while his brother lives in Kukkar Pind village of Jalandhar near Jalandhar Cantonment. Gurinderpal, police said, was putting up with his brother in Kukkar Pind currently.

According to details, Gur Aujla is a resident of the United Kingdom and has been in Punjab for the last few months. A case under Section 188 was previously registered against him by Jalandhar police on February 20 for exhibiting weapons on social media.

Ever since the Jalandhar case, Gurinderpal had gone into hiding and a look out circular had been issued against him. On March 9, he attemped to flee to the UK but was stopped and arrested. He had later managed to secure bail in the case.

(With ENS, Jalandhar)

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Amritpal Singh case: Detained under NSA, Powercom clerk whose father was picked up by police in 1993 and never returned - The Indian Express