In this episode of Cyber Focus, host Frank Cilluffo engages with Todd Conklin, the Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cyber at the Department of Treasury. They delve into recent advancements and initiatives the Treasury has been involved in, focusing on the integration of AI and cybersecurity within financial services. The conversation highlights the strategic efforts being made to bolster security measures, manage risks, and harness the potential of AI to protect and innovate within the sector.

Main Topics Covered

• Role and responsibilities of a Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer in the government sector.
• Insights into Project Fortress and its objectives for proactive cybersecurity defense.
• The impact and implications of AI on cybersecurity practices.
• Challenges and strategies for small financial institutions in adopting cloud and AI technologies.
• The Treasury's collaborative efforts with other federal agencies and the private sector to enhance cybersecurity resilience.
• Initiatives to leverage international partnerships to combat cyber threats globally.

Key Quotes

• "We're trying to get the body of work that we published on cloud and AI... out to a broader cybersecurity audience." - Todd Conklin
• "You cannot do cyber today without an appreciation for artificial intelligence." - Frank Cilluffo
• "The financial services sector being a place of innovation... and Treasury being a place of innovation is a surprise to a lot of people." - Todd Conklin
• "We've been leading a thorough incident response analysis and that small entity had an outsized impact..." - Todd Conklin
• "We need to automate the flow of intelligence from the US government to the sector defense operators." - Todd Conklin
• "The Treasury model is to ensure that the sector has the ability to help us curate what those priorities should be." - Todd Conklin

Relevant Links/Resources:

• Department of Treasury Website
• Managing Artificial Intelligence-Specific Cybersecurity Risks in the Financial Services Sector Report
• The Financial Services Sector’s Adoption of Cloud Services U.S. Department of the Treasury Report
• Project Fortress
• Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Cyber Hygiene tool
• 2023 Financial Stability Oversight Council Annual Report
• G7 Cyber Expert Group
• Financial Sector Information Sharing and Analysis Center
• Building a Cyber Insurance Backstop Is Harder Than It Sounds