Security Communication Strategy; How to improve policy messaging and implementation

How we can improve policy messaging and implementation

EPISODE 01 SUMMARY - GREGORY MICHAELIDIS

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Gregory (Greg) Michaelidis spent 7 years working for the Obama Administration within the Department of Homeland Security, first as the Head Speech Writer for the Secretary of Homeland Security, and then in the Homeland Security directorate that handles cyber security and infrastructure protection. His experience ranges from defining and creating policy to establishing buy-in for policy through good messaging, and he’s bringing that experience into the arena of cyber security awareness. During his tenure in the Obama Administration, Greg noticed a frustrating pattern in government policy making —

• “Much of the energy in security policy would go into policy formulation and interagency tussle over who would implement the policy, but once that was all figured out, the policy given less attention, especially in regards to the manner in which messaging around a certain policy was delivered to people who would ideally hear it and get on board.”

In this episode, Bruce and Greg discuss issues around cyber security awareness, how to improve messaging around issues of cyber security, and perhaps even more importantly, what needs to be done to ensure that awareness is turning into positive security behaviors.

• “So when we have more of those people who aren’t from the traditional computer science or engineering backgrounds who are contributing to the conversation, I think it will be a sign of health, that we are getting beyond what is now…a heavily industry or fee-for-service/fee-for-product driven model that is in need of a real shake-up.”

PROJECTS, POLICIES, AND RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• The Analogies Project https://theanalogiesproject.org/ -

• The Ready Campaign https://www.ready.gov/ - preparedness for natural disasters

• If You See Something, Say Something (still in effect) https://www.dhs.gov/see-something-say-something - situational awareness to teach people to report to law enforcement when they see something that seems amiss or out of place (still in effect)

• Stop.Think.Connect https://www.stopthinkconnect.org/ - cyber security awareness program (still in effect)

• UK “Prevent” Programs https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2010-to-2015-government-policy