We look forward to a new year and new opportunities for innovation and growth in the government contracting community. This past year, we experienced an increased emphasis on big data, insider threat, merging technology with health care, and the internet of things, among others.
WashingtonExec reached out to those most knowledgeable and experienced in the federal contracting space. We asked executives in and around the Beltway for insight on the direction they see the government contracting community heading in 2018. Topics discussed include M&A activity, public/private sector collaboration, cloud computing, the incoming millennial workforce in defense/IT/health care, talent retention and more.
Next in the series is Ray DeMeo, co-founder and chief operating officer of Virsec Systems, Inc. The company mission is to develop cutting-edge security software to end data breaches, cyber-espionage and insider theft, focusing on worst-case scenarios and working backward to create solutions. Here are his insights:
Our prediction is that cybersecurity will continue to dominate government awareness in 2018.
Based on the volume and scale of cyber breaches in 2017, the threat to operation of government systems, defense platforms, critical infrastructure and sensitive data sets is likely to continue in 2018.
The global WannaCry ransomware attacks now attributed to North Korea are a prime example. The need for effective cybersecurity measures against rapidly evolving advanced persistent threats will keep this at the top of agendas.
The test of GovCon combined efforts will be measured in the ability of contractors to deliver effective solutions, and the government’s capacity to procure new technology in a way that keeps pace with the speed of developing attack vectors.