By David Simpson
Doug Streit, director of IT security and planning at Old Dominion University, has been recognized for helping advance cybersecurity in the commonwealth.
The Virginia Alliance for Secure Computing and Networking (VASCAN) presented Streit with its Founders Award during the annual VASCAN Conference, held Oct. 6-7 at Virginia Commonwealth University.
"It is an honor to be singled out by my peers - a group of cybersecurity practitioners that I deeply respect - and to be recognized for making a difference in advancing information security across the commonwealth of Virginia," said Streit, who is also ODU's chief information security officer.
VASCAN works to strengthen informational technology security programs in the state and is overseen by the Virginia Higher Education CIO Council. Each year, the VASCAN Founders Award goes to an information security professional, auditor, faculty member or researcher who has contributed to the Virginia information security community in a notable way. Recipients have included 2020 honoree Hongyi Wu, former director of ODU's School of Cybersecurity.
Streit said he enjoys working at Old Dominion with a talented team of developers, security operators and IT professionals.
"The work we do in information security is foundational to the services we provide to our students and to the community," Streit said. "Without the security and integrity of our systems and the information they help us to administer, we could not be effective in helping students achieve their dreams, helping researchers find solutions that help advance society, and in helping develop the workforce that grows our economy and the well-being and prosperity of our region."
He completed a Bachelor of Science in engineering at the U.S. Naval Academy and earned an appointment as an officer in the Navy, where he received a Navy Achievement Medal for the superior performance of duties. He has worked at ODU for 25 years and maintains a certification as a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).
Streit drew praise from Rusty Waterfield, associate vice president for university services and chief information officer at ODU.
"Doug's compassion, integrity and humility are foundational to his natural ability to partner, collaborate and lead," Waterfield said. "He does not worry about who gets the credit. He is only concerned about the work being done the right way, where people, relationships and collaboration are valued."
Cybersecurity Tips
During Cybersecurity Awareness Month (October), Streit reminds us to:
- Use multifactor authentication wherever possible
- Use strong passwords or a password manager
- Keep your software up to date with security patches (automatic patching)
- Take a moment and verify the email you are preparing to respond to, and ensure it is not a phishing attack or scam
- When in doubt, seek guidance or report your concern
