INFORMATION SECURITY PROGRAM SURVEY

Information Security Program Survey

As a new graduate of UMUC’s cybersecurity program, you have decided to apply in a competitive selection process to a joint federal-state government sponsored cybersecurity training program for new graduates (apprentices). As part of your application package, you must submit an essay (narrative) containing a written analysis of an information security program. You can use the worksheet to help organize your information.

The application package provides you with the following information:

For your application to this program you are asked to prepare a high-level summary of an information security program. Your summary should demonstrate that you are able to read, understand, apply, and write about common information security concepts at the apprentice level. Your summary must include an analysis that addresses strategic fit (how well the information security program supports the organization’s goals and objectives), breadth and coverage of the information security program (people, processes, technologies), any known or previously uncovered program deficiencies or implementation issues, and any stated costs and benefits of the program.

Choose one of the organizations listed in Table 1, review the pertinent documents, and then prepare a three- to five-page narrative summarizing your analysis of the organization’s information security program. Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) are provided for the pertinent documents and web pages.

Table 1


Listing of Information Security Programs for Applicant Essays
Organization Website
Strategic Plan
Information Security Program
Program Evaluation Report

Department of Health and Human Services

http://www.dhhs.gov/
http://www.hhs.gov/secretary/about/priorities/priorities.html
http://www.hhs.gov/ocio/policy/index.html#Security
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06267.pdf

Department of Veterans Affairs
http://www.va.gov/
http://www.va.gov/op3/Docs/StrategicPlanning/VA_2010_2014_Strategic_Plan.pdf
http://www1.va.gov/vapubs/viewPublication.asp?Pub_ID=56
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10727t.pdf

Internal Revenue Service
http://www.irs.gov/
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p3744.pdf
http://www.irs.gov/irm/part10/index.html
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10355.pdf

National Aeronautics and Space Administration
http://www.nasa.gov/
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/516579main_NASA2011StrategicPlan.pdf
http://www.nasa.gov/offices/ocio/itsecurity/
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d104.pdf

State of Maryland
http://www.maryland.gov/
http://www.statestat.maryland.gov/gdu.asp
http://doit.maryland.gov/support/Documents/security_guidelines/DoITSecurityPolicy.pdf
http://www.ola.state.md.us/Reports/Fiscal%20Compliance/DoIT09.pdf

University of Nebraska Medical Center
http://www.unmc.edu/
http://www.unmc.edu/wwwdocs/strategic-plan_06-10_v3-brochure1.pdf
http://www.unmc.edu/its/docs/UNMCInformationSecurityPlan-Sept2010.pdf
Audit report not available. Use http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10361.pdf

Vanderbilt University Medical Center
https://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/oor/about/strategic-plan1-2009.pdf
https://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/security/
Audit report not available. Use http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10361.pdf