Since joining the Secret Service in 2015, Kevin Nally has transformed the IT and communications capabilities supporting the agency’s investigative and protective missions in Washington and 160-plus offices globally. He has revamped the agency’s network and information security architecture, leading the Department of Homeland Security in Federal Information Security Modernization Act scores for the third straight year.
In the face of a national pandemic, Nally expanded the agency’s bandwidth and VPN capacity, going from one gigabyte to 10 GB within days and implementing Microsoft Teams throughout the agency.
A Voice Over Internet Protocol convergence project was also implemented in 2020, enhancing telephony and information management capabilities while saving agency resources. A $32 million Crown Radio program was completed, replacing all radio repeaters and the headquarters core system and significantly increasing coverage in the National Capital Region.
Why Watch
For 2021, Nally is focused on enhancing the cyber cloud security strategy as the agency employs Microsoft Office 365 capabilities.
“My main focus is on people and obtaining the necessary resources for IT and cybersecurity to support mission requirements for the Secret Service,” he said.
Nally is also focused on building a cybersecurity investment strategy to identify the risks associated with potential resource shortfalls. He plans to use a Software Assurance Maturity Model to demonstrate the need to invest in life cycle technologies, including container technology, closed-based capabilities and software as a service, to streamline threat detection and defense and improve access control and account management across the agency.