According to a report in the Washington Post, Cisco CCNA Yusuf Acar who is currently employed as the Chief Security Officer (CSO) and/or Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO) of the Government of the District of Columbia, has been busted by the FBI in a federal bribery sting. FBI agents found $70,000 in Acar's Northwest D.C. home when they arrested him this morning.
Now here's what I find oddly interesting: Yusuf Acar appears not to have any security certifications or experience, according to my research. How in the heck do you think he got hired at a salary of $127,468 per year to be an Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO)? Acar is certified as a Cisco CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) and MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer). He previously worked as an Optical Network Engineer at both GTSI and Lightwave Communications as well as a Network Administrator at New Call.
According to the DC Office of the Chief Technology Officer organizational chart below, Acar was a top lieutenant to former DC CTO Vivek Kundra, who was recently appointed by President Obama to the new position of U.S. CIO (Chief Information Officer):
According to the below DC CTO firewall security procurement document (page 9), Acar was actively involved in DC CTO contracting and procurement.
Furthermore, in this DC CTO wireless security procurement document (page 15), Acar again is involved in the contracting process.
In the screenshot of his resume below, Yusuf (Joseph) Acar details his Cisco qualifications:
Examine the entire resume of Yusuf (Joseph) Acar.
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Watch a video of Yusuf Acar soliciting potential new hires for the DC CTO:
According to the arrest warrant (page 2 - C. Overview of the Investigation):
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View the criminal complaints against Yusuf Acar and Sushil Bansal.
What does this have to do with Cisco?
Well, according to the Cisco website, Advanced Integrated Technologies Corporation (AITC) is a Registered Cisco Partner:
So how does this involve Cisco?
Well for one, President Obama has put on leave Yusuf Acar's former boss, Vivek Kundra, whom he appointed to the new position of U.S. CIO (Chief Information Officer), until further details become known about the investigation.
Hopefully, Cisco will suspend Advanced Integrated Technologies Corporation's registered partner status with Cisco as well as suspend Yusuf Acar's Cisco certifications based on the FBI's arrest warrant!
But perhaps the Cisco Code of Business Conduct does not apply to Cisco partners and Cisco certification holders.
Related stories:
Is theft a family tradition of U.S. CIO Vivek Kundra?
Is U.S. CIO Vivek Kundra a cooked goose?
FBI probe of Kundra's former D.C. technology office may widen
So, in your opinion, what would make Yusuf Acar be offered the top information security job?
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makes you wonder Brad
Could this spell doom for the new CIO?
The good news
The good news is that the second person arrested, Sushil Bansal, President and CEO of Advanced Integrated Technologies Corporation (AITC) has been released but ordered not to engage in overseas financial transactions:
Authorities say Acar and Bansal, along with others, used a variety of schemes to defraud the D.C. government, including billing the District for inventory that was never delivered and billing "ghost" contract employees who never worked.
In 2008, Bansal's firm received .Net Development Support and Peoplesoft Consulting Support contracts from the D.C. Office of the Chief Technology Office totaling $350,000.
Last week, D.C. Chief Technology Officer Vivek Kundra resigned from his post to take a job in the Obama administration as the federal government's chief information officer.
AITC has been working with the D.C. government since 2004. Once Kundra took over as D.C. Chief Technology Officer in March 2007, AITC's contracts doubled to more than $5 million in 2008.
Revealing:
Entrepreneur of the Year Award to Sushil Bansal, CEO (AITC)
Washington, DC – August 11, 2008 – AITC announced today that the Association of Indians in America (Washington DC Chapter) selected Mr. Sushil Bansal for the Entrepreneur of the Year Award. The award ceremony was held on August 10, 2008 in Rockville, Maryland. Mr. Bansal was selected for this award for his outstanding contribution in the field of information technology and to the growth of AITC. Mr. Bansal is founder and CEO of AITC. The award ceremony also included 25 academic achievement awards to outstanding students, Scientist of the Year Award, and Community Service Award. The ceremony was attended over 100 people including a very senior representative from the Embassy of India in Washington DC. Mr. Bansal emphasized the importance of innovation to run a successful IT company in his acceptance speech.
Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) Awards IT Help Desk Support Contract to AITC
Washington, DC – October 3, 2008 – AITC announced today that the Department of Motor Vehicles, Government of the District of Columbia, awarded IT Help Desk Support Contract to AITC. This contract is a continuation of AITC’s services for this project. DMV operates a Motor Vehicle Information System (DESTINY) that was developed and implemented to support Driver License issuance, vehicle registration and titling, inspection, insurance, medical, parking permits and other DMV related functions. This contract provides support to the IT Help Desk and network administration of DESTINY application.
Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) Awards .Net Development Support Contract to AITC
Washington, DC – Sep 9, 2008 – AITC announced today that the Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO), Government of the District of Columbia Office, awarded .Net Development Support Contract to AITC. The Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) is involved with an initiative to implement Web-enabled applications throughout the District Government. AITC’s web developers will serve as part of an OCTO Application Services development team, and will assist OCTO personnel in the development of DC Government’s Web applications, or otherwise support the OCTO Application Services team.
Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) purchases McAfee Licenses from AITC
Washington, DC – August 5, 2008 – AITC announced today that the Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO), Government of the District of Columbia, purchased McAfee Licenses from AITC. This purchase is for McAfee Active Virus Defense Licenses (Number of Licenses – 10,001), McAfee Anti-Spyware Licenses (Number of Licenses – 10,001), and McAfee Virus Scan Licenses (Number of Licenses – 3,000). OCTO needed protection against security threats for desktops, internet gateways, e-mail servers, and file servers. These three different McAfee products identify, proactively block, and safely eliminate spyware, and potentially unwanted programs. This purchase would also help OCTO to guard its Macintosh systems and users, against all types of viruses and malicious code, and new unknown threats.
Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) Awards Peoplesoft Consulting Support Contract to AITC
Washington, DC – June 5, 2008 – AITC announced today that the Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO), Government of the District of Columbia, awarded Peoplesoft Consulting Support Contract to AITC. OCTO, in collaboration with the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) and the District of Columbia Human Resources (DCHR) is embarking on an ambitious program to upgrade and implement PeopleSoft Human Capital Management (HCM) information systems to realize new efficiencies, while simultaneously offering a broad range of new administrative services for the District. This contract provides support for conducting full cycle implementation activities such as: current state analysis, future state analysis, fit-gap, planning, requirements gathering, design, interface and report design and development, setup, configuration, customization, testing, training, change management, end user support and documentation for ERP solutions associated with PeopleSoft’s HCM (Human Capital Management) suite.
Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) Awards Citywide IT Security (CWITS) Support Contract to AITC
Washington, DC – May 7, 2008 – AITC announced today that the Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO), Government of the District of Columbia Office, awarded an additional task order for Citywide IT Security (CWITS) Support to AITC. This additional task order will support for antivirus deployment and incident response tasks for agencies in the District of Columbia.
Sincerely,
Brad Reese
BradReese.Com Cisco Refurbished
I used to work for Yusuf and
I used to work for Yusuf and OCTO years ago before he was the ISSO and was a contractor like myself. I believe he has at least CISSP cert to his name minimum. Yusuf is very talented, i would have never thought he was caught up in some mess like this
NO CISSP confirmed @ ISC2 site
Yusuf does not have any ISC2 certifications whatsoever - checked on the ISC2 - anyone with a valid CISSP can easily confirm.
headline
why couldn't your headline be "Microsoft MCSE busted by FBI,......", I guess Cisco must have pissed in your bath water this morning.
Good Point
Good point, but unfortunately for Microsoft, the name of my personal blog is:
Brad Reese on Cisco
Addressing your point, if instead my blog's name was "Brad Reese on Microsoft" the headline would read:
Microsoft MCSE - Yusuf Acar busted by FBI as perp in federal bribery sting
Sincerely,
Brad Reese
BradReese.Com Cisco Refurbished
What Does??
What does this have to do with Cisco, or him being a CCNA?
According to the arrest warrant
According to the arrest warrant (page 2 - C. Overview of the Investigation):
View the criminal complaints against Yusuf Acar and Sushil Bansal.
What does this have to do with Cisco?
Well, according to the Cisco website, Advanced Integrated Technologies Corporation (AITC) is a Registered Cisco Partner:
So how does this involve Cisco?
Well, President Obama has put on leave Yusuf Acar's former boss, Vivek Kundra, who had been appointed to the new position of U.S. CIO (Chief Information Officer), until further details become known about the investigation.
Hopefully, Cisco will suspend Advanced Integrated Technologies Corporation's registered partner status with Cisco as well as suspend Yusuf Acar's Cisco certifications.
But perhaps the Cisco Code of Business Conduct does not apply to Cisco partners and Cisco certification holders.
Sincerely,
Brad Reese
BradReese.Com Cisco Refurbished
For the record
Yusuf does not have a CISSP and management was informed several times that he was doing something dirty.
homework
can you do some homework on other companies also, even Cisco's competitors, i am sure at someone's mother's sister's best friend stole a notebook from a company's office....its great to generate news when there is none
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