The CISOs CISO: Part 2

Interview of Will Pelgrin, New York State Director of Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Money's tight everywhere in this recession, and New York State - like other governments - need to be innovative in how to secure its information assets. For Will Pelgrin, the director of the state Office of Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Coordination, that means keeping key executive branch officials - from the governor on down - and lawmakers informed about the threats to the state's information systems is key in getting the needed backing to support his efforts. Such briefings are crucial, Pelgrin says, because those who control state coffers don't perceive cyber threats as IT professionals do. Not only briefing them, but putting cybersecurity in a context they understand - i.e.: if you don't have a break-in, you don't remove your locks - is critical. In the second of a two-part interview with GovInfoSecurity.com, Pelgrin discusses the need to make new technologies such as social networks secure for state employees because of the potential benefits they offer. In the first part, Pelgrin discussed the synergy between safeguarding IT and physical infrastructures and the need for government and business to work together to ensure cybersecurity. Pelgrin was interviewed by Eric Chabrow, managing editor of GovInfoSecurity.com