Cybersecurity Agreement Signed (VIDEO)

U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski, Acting Undersecretary of Commerce Dr. Patrick Gallagher, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, and Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett on Feb. 18 signed a Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) to more clearly define further the development of the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE). The agreement expands on the collaboration outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding – signed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the State of Maryland and Montgomery County in February 2012 – establishing the NCCoE.

“We’re standing up for the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence to protect America’s ideas and innovations from cyber terrorists, spies and thieves,“ said Senator Mikulski, Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee that funds NIST. “With Maryland’s world-class educational institutions, leading federal assets and dynamic private sector, our state is the epicenter of cyber security. This center will unite the knowledge of the government with the know-how of the private sector to improve our nation’s cyber security and create jobs. I was so proud to put money in the federal checkbook so this new center will ensure Maryland continues to lead the way in cyber technology and cyber jobs.”‎

“This agreement formalizes and expands the commitment that the state, county, and NIST have made to collaborate on helping businesses in a variety of sectors improve their cybersecurity,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director Patrick D. Gallagher. “We believe it will lead to greater technology transfer, new technologies and products, and opportunities for students—the future cybersecurity workforce.”

“Four years ago, we set out to position our State as the epicenter of cybersecurity, and today, this growing sector is producing high-quality jobs for Maryland families,” said Governor O’Malley. “This agreement builds on significant progress for the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, bringing together our companies, our educational institutions and our government to support critical and personal data protection nationally, while also spurring economic growth by expanding Maryland’s middle class.”

The Center was one of the priority recommendations outlined in CyberMaryland: Epicenter for Information Security and Innovation, released by Governor O’Malley on January 11, 2010. A public-private partnership, the NCCoE was established to accelerate the broad adoption of integrated cybersecurity tools and technologies. Through the National Cybersecurity Excellence Partnership, 16 companies – including Cisco Systems, McAfee, Microsoft, RSA and Symantec – have agreed to provide hardware, software and expertise to the Center’s efforts to advance the rapid adoption of secure technologies.

The Center, which has been temporarily housed in the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research on the campus of the Universities at Shady Grove, will move to a 65,000 square foot building on Seneca Highway in Rockville. The State of Maryland and Montgomery County are providing funding to renovate the facility, which is owned by the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO).

“This partnership agreement between NIST, Maryland and Montgomery County clearly marks Montgomery County Maryland as a viable national player in civil cybersecurity,” said County Executive Ike Leggett. “I thank Senator Mikulski for her leadership on this issue and Governor O’Malley for his continuing support of our efforts to grow even more business and create the jobs of tomorrow for Montgomery County.”

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