DHS Using Red Team Approach to Improve National Cyber-Security

As fears about the security of  elections and voting machines remain a concern, the U.S Government is doing more than just waiting for attackers, it's hacking its own systems with penetration testing activities. Speaking at DEF CON in Las Vegas on Aug. 10, members of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Cybersecurity Assessments and Technical Services (NCATS) described their Red Team activities to help evaluate the cyber-hygiene of software infrastructure. NCATS Red Team services help both government agencies as well as critical infrastructure in private organizations. "We believe in not just identifying vulnerabilities, but also in understanding what organizations do with the notifications we give them," Robert Karas, Director, NCATS, Office of Cybersecurity and Communications, Department of Homeland Security said.