Thomas Parenty has twenty five years of experience
in the computer security and cryptography fields. He has designed
and evaluated the information security protections of numerous national
and global systems, including those for banking, electronic commerce,
credit card processing, healthcare, manufacturing, and nuclear command
and control. In addition, he has designed security features in enterprise
software applications that are currently used by governments and
businesses across the globe.
Thomas has testified five times before the United
States Congress on global competitiveness, national security, law
enforcement, and encryption export controls. On behalf of the National
Academy of Sciences he assessed the quality of the information security
work done by the National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST). He advised the President's Commission on Critical Infrastructure
Protection on information security research directions and the protection
of telecommunications networks.
He has been featured in international media ranging
from CNN's Global Office to The Economist and has given lectures
throughout the world, including the University of California at
Berkeley, the National Cryptologic School (NSA), and the Chinese
University of Hong Kong. Harvard Business School Press published
Parenty's book, Digital Defense: What You Should Know About Protecting
Your Company's Assets.
As Director of Data and Communications Security
at Sybase, Thomas was responsible for the selection and design of
security features across all of the company's software products.
When at Trusted Information Systems (TIS), he performed government-funded
research into the design of secure operating systems and networks
and advised computer companies on the development of trusted systems.
At the NSA, Thomas led the evaluation of computer security mechanisms
to protect a global nuclear command and control network as well
as advised the Director on NSA's own internal security.
He holds a Master's degree in Computer Science
from the University of Massachusetts and a Bachelor's degree in
Philosophy from the College of the Holy Cross, both in the United
States.