Our nation's public and private organizations are under constant cyber attack. We expend more and more resource to harden our network, but all we are really doing is pushing the attacks toward a less-well defended target or identifying our network as a target worthy of concerted attack by dint of the resources we are expending to defend it.
We cannot defeat a networked enemy by acting in isolation, especially with a glaring shortage of trained, experienced cyber professionals. The solution is to build a network of networked cyber professionals and businesses willing to work collaboratively in collective defense, identifying threats and responding more rapidly than the adversary can.
Become part of a network of public and private organizations committed to collective defense, operating in an environment of trust and open collaboration, to bring the capabilities of all to bear to defeat the diffuse, ubiquitous threat. In an era of interwoven supply chains and critical infrastructure sectors, we are only strong when we act together!
We are a statewide cyber threat analysis and response collective characterized by mutual trust and grassroots engagement that fosters collaboration across all sectors to enable large and small organizations to more effectively protect, defend, and respond to cyber threats.
Maryland public and private entities come together to form trusted relationships that allow members to mass scarce assets to proactively identify and respond to cyber threats, maximizing scarce resources and minimizing threat exposure. Ultimately, we envision a future of interlocking, cooperative state networks that provide national indications and warnings of cyber attacks and shared responses.
Create, build, and sustain a trusted network of public and private sector entities in Maryland that works collectively to identify and share actionable threat information and effectively respond to those threats more rapidly than any one entity could do on its own.
When one member identifies an anomaly or a potential threat, they are not on their own. Members of the trusted network, MCT, rapidly swarm on the threat, perform rapid crowd-sourced assessments, issue specific warnings, and help formulate the best response. Reporting to relevant state and local authorities can be expedited and anonymized to provide more responsive threat warnings nationally as well. Time from threat identification to threat mitigation is dramatically reduced by the power of the network.
Nathan Rolfe is the CEO of Maryland Cyber TRUST. He has over 25 years of experience in cybersecurity and cyberspace operations, including service in the Army and Navy, and over a decade with USCYBERCOM supporting the design and build of the Cyber Mission Force. He also serves on the board of the Maryland chapter of Infragard and as the president and co-founder of the Association of U.S. Cyber Forces.
Serving on the Board of Directors are:
Chris Marshall of Cisco Talos
Gregg Smith of TAC
Damian Doyle of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Chris Lanzilotta of Home Depot
Serving on our Advisory Board are:
Frank Grimmelman of the Arizona Cyber Threat Response Alliance
Jeremy Stanley of Cisco
Greg von Lehman of the Mayland Cyber Council and the University of Maryland Global Campus
Maryland Cyber TRUST was born in December 2021 when several members of the Maryland Cybersecurity Council approached Ken McCreedy, a retired Army colonel, and Chris Marshall of Cisco Talos to create a state-wide information sharing organization. The Council had recommended the formation of such an organization to the Governor in a White Paper published in its Activity Report in July 2021. In the interim, we have recruited a Board of Directors, established a corporation, applied for and were approved for 501(c)(3) non-profit status, and have begun recruiting members. We established a close relationship with the Arizona Cyber Threat Response Alliance which has been instrumental in allowing us to more quickly stand up the organization.
For the Maryland Cybersecurity Council report, see:
Maryland Cybersecurity Council Activities Report 2019-2021 (umgc.edu)
MCT is partnered with the Arizona Cyber Threat Response Alliance (ACTRA), a highly regarded organization that has been cited as a national model in several studies. While MCT is standing up its network, our members will enjoy the benefits of ACTRA membership, getting an immediate return on their investment even as they shape Maryland's collective defense posture for the future. For more information, see: