NNSA Administrator Jill Hruby Remarks at International Symposium on Insider Threat Mitigation

On March 5, 2024, NNSA cohosted the Second International Symposium on Insider Threat Mitigation with the Belgian Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC).  The conference was attended by over 200 participants from 65 countries. Learn more about NNSA efforts on Insider Threat Mitigation here.

Good morning, everyone.  It is an honor to be here on behalf of the United States Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.  We are proud to co-host the second International Symposium on Insider Threat Mitigation with our esteemed partner, the Belgian Federal Agency for Nuclear Control.  We appreciate the coordination with Director General Hardeman and his team to bring this event together.

Insider threat mitigation is a difficult topic because we all place trust in our workforce.  But we also understand that security systems are only as strong as their weakest link.  That is why it is important to learn from one another and have international programs on insider threats.  Countries participating actively in practical solutions to manage insider threats show a high level of maturity, discipline, and commitment to nuclear and radiological security.  Thank you for being here today to lower the risk for your individual countries, and to help make the world safer.

The United States and Belgium are leading by example.  Both countries were initial adopters of the 2016 Joint Statement on Mitigating Insider Threats.  The Joint Statement called for states to mitigate insider threats using a risk-informed, graded approach and to support the IAEA on developing and implementing an advanced practitioner-level training course on preventative and protective measures against insider threats.

Since 2016 we have seen real progress.  The inaugural International Symposium on Insider Threat Mitigation held in 2019 here in Brussels produced several key deliverables.  First, the Symposium launched the Joint Statement International Working Group.  This working group includes Canada, Chile, Finland, Hungary, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Malaysia, Morocco, and Nigeria along with the U.S. and Belgium.  It enables countries to share experiences, challenges, and best practices in nuclear and radiological security.  Last September, this Group hosted the first International Practitioners Workshop for Mitigating Insider Threats at Nuclear and Radiological Facilities.  Participants from over 20 countries gathered at Sandia National Laboratories in the United States to share best practices building on a pilot course held at Sandia in 2019. This meeting was a key commitment under the Joint Statement.

Another deliverable of the 2019 Symposium was the development of five focus groups to explore key topics that emerged from the conversations – cybersecurity, national policy and regulatory frameworks, trustworthiness and reliability, physical protection, and security culture.  Over the last five years, these focus groups have developed practical products and tools for the international community.  You will have an opportunity to see several demonstrated tomorrow.

Finally, we have continued to add partners as signatories to the Joint Statement. Since 2016, Malaysia, Ukraine, France, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Slovakia have joined.  Thank you for your nations’ commitment to nuclear security. This growth demonstrates the shared global priority of mitigating insider threats at radiation and nuclear facilities.  We continue to encourage other countries to join our community and sign the Joint Statement.

The theme of this Symposium is, “Expect the Unexpected.”  We are excited to showcase how meeting the commitments outlined in the Joint Statement advances nuclear security.  We also want this to be a forum to exchange ideas, perspectives, and challenges to detect, deter, and respond to insider risks.  The video montage you viewed this morning showcased many countries who are meeting their Joint Statement commitments by implementing insider threat mitigation measures using the risk-inform, graded approach highlighted in the document.

The challenge of mitigating insider threats is significant but together we are making progress.  We have increased our expertise, strengthened our tools, and shared best practices.  I applaud your efforts in working to create a more secure world.