Federal Tech Talk

A fresh perspective on cloud and cloud security

Chris Hughes, co-founder of Aquia, joined host John Gilroy on this week's Federal Tech Talk to discuss cloud security and enterprise architecture for federal sy...

October 4, 2021 7:29 am

1 min read

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This week on Federal Tech Talk, host John Gilroy spoke with Chris Hughes, co-founder of Aquia. He gave the audience a unique perspective on enterprise architecture for federal systems.

Hughes has a wide background with stints in several federal agencies as a member of the military and as a contractor. His company works with organizations to assist them with a safe and quick digital transformation.

The interview highlighted his recent article, “CISA’s Cloud Security Technical Reference Architecture: Where it Succeeds and where it falls short,” in which he introduces a new concept called Infrastructure as Code (IaC).

Essentially, IaC is the management of networks and systems using a model. This allows DevSecOps practitioners to increase the speed of delivery and reduce costs. It allows for repeatability in a process to eliminate wasted time.

During the interview, Hughes expands on the workflow inherent with a DevSecOps approach to software development. One obstacle can be the Authority to Operate (ATO) process. Further, he opens to his thoughts on Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification and its impact on small businesses.