Photo By John Joyce | Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) Deputy Director Daniel Lecce...... read more read more
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PITTSBURGH – Dr. Paul Nielsen stood before an audience assembled at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Software Engineering Institute (SEI) and commended members of his security team for the university’s superior counterintelligence programs that achieved extraordinary results in thwarting foreign-directed theft of U.S. technology in fiscal year 2023.
Nielsen, CMU SEI director and chief executive officer, addressed a diverse audience comprising the university’s leadership, researchers and operations professionals; Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) leaders; and officials from the FBI, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command.
They convened to see DCSA Deputy Director Daniel Lecce present the Jack Donnelly Award for Excellence in Counterintelligence to CMU SEI security leadership at the ceremony held at the university’s Pittsburgh campus on Dec. 3.
“This is really special for our security people and our security center, which serves not only the SEI but the entire university community,” said Nielsen, who leads the Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute and its technical programs ranging from software and cybersecurity to the engineering of AI systems, which support national security. “Sometimes security people, especially in counterintelligence, work below the scene. They're not trying to draw attention to themselves, and our staff does that very well, but it's nice for them to get this recognition from DCSA and from us for the great work that they do.”
The honor – presented only to entities cleared by the federal government to deter, detect and disrupt the theft of sensitive or classified U.S. information and technology by foreign entities - recognized CMU SEI as a national leader in counterintelligence.
“This is a great reflection on the security team, the Software Engineering Institute and all the leadership you see around the room,” said Jason Hawk, CMU SEI director of security, adding that, “I want to thank you for what you do in support of the program.”
The award nomination cited counterintelligence accomplishments ranging from cybersecurity and cyber mission readiness to threat integration, training and awareness.
“We all want valuable contributors and partners in this fight. The counterintelligence world does not often give recognition by design or celebrate success, so I'm honored to do so today,” Lecce told the audience prior to presenting the award to Hawk and Kara Branby, facility security officer for the CMU Software Engineering Institute. “CMU exemplifies the collaboration, creativity and innovation needed today, while ensuring our national security for tomorrow. A sincerest congratulations and thank you for work that you do. I'm proud to present the Jack Donnelly Award for Excellence in Counterintelligence to the Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute.”
The nomination cited the university’s work with interns who conduct a first-round triage on hundreds of suspicious contact reports identified by CMU employees, resulting in quality intelligence reporting to the U.S. intelligence community. Moreover, the interns analyze these reports to create a threat picture for the Software Engineering Institute and the university at large. They use this information – synthesized from government threat reports including the Targeting U.S. Technologies Report and other threat information – to create a controlled unclassified information report that Carnegie Mellon University uses to educate researchers and staff while apprising them of threats faced each day.
“Not only does CMU get a tailored and detailed report, but the interns also learn a great deal about recognizing threats and educating the staff on counterintelligence,” said Lecce. “The foreign intelligence threat to our industrial base in academia is non-traditional, continuously challenged, and persistent. Protecting our economic and military advantage is a top priority because the threat is there and it's growing. Our adversary is not discrete about their intent. We are seeing evidence daily of malicious intent and new methodologies used to target U.S. technologies. We see them leveraging relationships of cleared personnel in industry and in academia to gain access to defense related U.S. technology and information.”
The DCSA deputy director encouraged the audience to visit the agency’s public website, dcsa.mil, to read its annual Trends Report. “This report consolidates and analyzes the threat reporting that you see from industry and academia,” said Lecce. “It's never been more important than now that we get this fight to protect our research development and critical technology, right. As America's gatekeepers, we are proud to partner with government, industry and academia. This is a team sport.”
In addition to Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute, recipients of the 2023 DCSA Jack Donnelly Award for Excellence in Counterintelligence are Lockheed Martin; AM General, LLC; Michigan Technological University; and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. They were selected from 10,000 companies and universities performing classified work for the federal government as best demonstrating the ability to prevent the theft of U.S. defense and national security technology.
| Date Taken: | 12.05.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.05.2024 17:56 |
| Story ID: | 486772 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 88 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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