DS Cyber Threat Manager Named a Top Government IT Professional

Contact: Kendal Smith
Tel: 571-345-2509
FAX: 571-345-2527
SmithLK2@state.gov

‘Rising Star’ Awarded to Diplomatic Security Cyber Threat Manager

Christopher Lukas Named a Top Government IT Professional

Diplomatic Security's Chris Lukas was honored Oct. 12, 2006 with a 2006 Rising Star Award for being one of the top IT professionals in the federal sector.

Christopher Lukas, 33, chief of the Cyber Threat Analysis Division in the Department of State’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security, has been named one of the nation’s top young federal information technology professionals.

Mr. Lukas, a native of Grafton, WI, was among 53 government and corporate information technology workers in the federal information technology (IT) community to be named recipients of the annual "2006 Rising Star Award," sponsored by Federal Computer Week magazine.

The award — developed by Federal Computer Week in cooperation with the Bethesda, MD chapter of the Young Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association — seeks to recognize young leaders in the federal government IT sector.

Mr. Lukas has led his division’s efforts to create cutting edge cyber threat detection and analysis capabilities and to deliver critical information aimed at protecting the Department of State and other U.S. government agencies from threats to their communications and information systems. He routinely manages the detection, analysis and reporting of cyber threats against the Department of State and provides specialized briefings to senior government leaders.

Under Mr. Lukas’ leadership, the Cyber Threat Analysis Division has developed proactive software tools to detect sophisticated and suspicious cyber activity, as well as new systems for delivering critical information and analysis to senior Department of State officials and members of the U.S. law enforcement and intelligence communities. He also spearheaded a first-of-its-kind penetration test of critical components within the Department of State’s security infrastructure that identified previously unknown vulnerabilities and led to improved configuration of security devices, standards of operation and monitoring methodology.

Mr. Lukas is the son of Jackie Lukas of Cedarburg, WI and William Lukas of New Berlin, WI. He is a 1991 graduate of Grafton High School. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1991 and for 11 years served as a Senior Petty Officer specializing in intelligence collection and analysis, cryptologic operations and information warfare. During his military service, he served in the Naval Security Group in Rota, Spain and Bad Aibling, Germany and for the Naval Information Warfare Activity in Washington D.C.

The Cyber Threat Analysis Division (CTAD) proactively addresses the risk of cyber threats affecting the Department of State's critical information infrastructure. CTAD provides overseas posts and Department management with indications and warnings, detailed technical analysis, and network penetration methodology to improve network security policies and procedures. Currently, CTAD is composed of the Threat Analysis Branch, the Technical Analysis and Special Operations Branch, and the Red Cell Branch.

The Bureau of Diplomatic Security is the U.S. Department of State’s law enforcement and security arm. The special agents, engineers, and security professionals of the Bureau are responsible for the security of 285 U.S. diplomatic facilities around the world. In the United States, Diplomatic Security personnel investigate passport and visa fraud, conduct personnel security investigations, and protect the Secretary of State and high-ranking foreign dignitaries and officials visiting the United States. More information about the U.S. Department of State and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security may be obtained at www.state.gov/m/ds.