ISAO SO Hosts Online Public Meeting On July 21

ISAO SO Hosts Online Public Meeting On July 21
San Antonio, TX —The Information Sharing and Analysis Organization Standards Organization (ISAO SO) hosted its monthly online public meeting today. The monthly online public meetings are designed as an opportunity for the general public to learn about recent developments and to provide feedback to the ISAO SO and Standards Working Group leaders.  Over 40 attendees from multiple industry sectors, government, academia and the general public participated in the discussion.  Topics discussed in the meeting included the upcoming release of the new draft document, ISAO 100-1, Guidelines for Establishing an ISAO, as well as the next in-person public meeting scheduled for August 31st and September 1st in Tysons, Virginia.

The ISAO 100-1 document incorporates material previously posted as initial drafts in early May, public comments to the initial drafts, and new material developed by the SO and Standards Working Groups.  The new document will be posted to the Drafts page on Friday, July 22. The request for comment period will be open until Friday, August 5. Topics addressed include:

  • What needs to be considered by a newly formed ISAO?
  • What services and capabilities might an ISAO provide?
  • What types of information will be shared and what are some of the mechanisms for doing so?
  • What security and privacy is needed for a newly formed ISAO?
  • What support processes will be available?

Other highlights from the meeting included an overview of the current project status, upcoming timeline and next steps for the ISAO SO. These future steps include the fostering of information sharing and analysis, an increased emphasis on public outreach, development of ISAO support services, and creation of a resource library and registry.  Slides and a recording of the meeting will be made available to the public on the ISAO SO’s Past Events page.

An in-person Public Forum will be held at LMI headquarters in Tysons, VA, on August 31 – September 1, 2016.  This forum will feature opportunities for the public to participate in a dialogue about the national ecosystem, ISAO certification, services and capabilities, panel discussions, and ISAO support functions. Click here to register for this public forum.

“Collaboration remains the cornerstone of developing effective standards for Information Sharing and Analysis Organizations. The ISAO SO is committed to improving the Nation’s cybersecurity posture, and we cannot do that without the outstanding contributions of our working group members,” said Rick Lipsey, Deputy Director, ISAO SO. “However, the work is not done when the first approved documents are published in September. We must turn our attention to spreading the word about information sharing and analysis, and encourage organizations of all types to consider joining or forming ISAOs.”

There are 150+ experts from various industry sectors, government, and academia already participating in Standard Working Groups for the ISAO SO, but Lipsey encouraged all those who might be interested to join the effort.  Membership applications can be found on the Standards Working Groups Overview page.

The meeting closed with a question and answer session that touched on ISAO certification, the continued work of the Standards Working Groups, and the creation of an ISAO registry to be launched on the ISAO SO website by the end of the month.  Additionally, Natalie Sjelin, director of the ISAO SO Support Group, offered insight on future ISAO support services, including connecting emerging ISAOs with mentors and available resources.