Philippines Insider Threat and Building Information Cybersecurity Workshop

Dates: 14-16 May 2025 (3-day workshop)

Time: 08:00 to 17:30

Place: Manila, Philippines

Participant Profile: 16 (8 Laboratorians/8 IT staff). Each registrant has to have a partner from the same institution attend. One IT and one Bioscience Subject Matter Expert from the same institution will be considered. 

Facilitators: Benjamin Kosko, MS and Alex Walser, MS, MA

Overview:

On behalf of the U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Threat Reduction Agency/Biological Threat Reduction Program (DTRA/BTRP) and Sandia National Laboratories' Global Chemical Biological Security (SNL/GCBS), we are pleased to announce a 3-day workshop focused on Insider Biosecurity and Cybersecurity Threats. This workshop is specifically designed for Filipino laboratorians and IT specialists, with each public and animal health facility invited to nominate two participants: one scientist and one IT subject matter expert. To secure an invitation to the workshop, both participants from each facility must submit an application.

The purpose of this workshop is to enhance awareness of the significance of insider threats and their connection to cybersecurity challenges, as well as to explore effective strategies for mitigating these risks. This initiative is part of the BTRP's cybersecurity mission to strengthen collaboration between laboratorians and IT specialists within each facility. Facilitators will guide participants in connecting essential concepts related to insider threats, cybersecurity, and biosecurity principles. The workshop will emphasize risk assessment, mitigation strategies, performance methodologies, and best practices for maintaining cybersecurity hygiene.

Outcomes:

1. Enhance awareness and understanding of insider threats and their implications for human and animal health science facilities.
2. Highlight the critical importance of cybersecurity and insider threats in fostering a strong, security-conscious culture among personnel and protecting organizational information.
3. Equip participants with the tools to assess existing policies, procedures, and best practices within their institutions.
4. Empower participants to initiate deterrence and detection efforts, as well as implement effective mitigation measures related to biosecurity, personnel security, cybersecurity, and insider threat security.