GDIT promotes exec to chief information security officer

Falls Church-based federal contractor General Dynamics Information Technology Inc. has named Justin DePalmo its new chief information security officer.

In his new role, DePalmo is responsible for all aspects of cybersecurity, including strategy, operations, implementation and management of cybersecurity compliance, training, vulnerability management, risk mitigation, incident response and cyberthreat intelligence.

“With our industry facing increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, the CISO’s role is now more critical than ever before,”  James Hannah, GDIT’s global chief information officer and senior vice president for supply chain, said in a statement. “Justin’s deep expertise in cybersecurity will be vital in protecting our technology and information assets, as well as meeting our customers’ mission requirements.”

DePalmo has more than 15 years of cybersecurity experience in the aerospace and defense industry. He most recently spent 14 years with General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, another business unit of General Dynamics Corp., including the past two years working as its CISO. In that role, DePalmo was responsible for leading that company’s cybersecurity strategy and implementing and managing cybersecurity controls, including security technology for the entire organization. He also oversaw the organization’s cybersecurity, cyber engineering and cyberoperations teams.

In addition, DePalmo served as a cybersecurity subject matter specialist for the General Dynamics internal audit program in 2018-2019 and is a current member of the company’s cyber council.

DePalmo has a bachelor’s degree in information technology management and an associate’s degree in computer applications from American Public University.

GDIT is a business unit of Reston-based Fortune 500 aerospace and defense contractor General Dynamics Corp., an aerospace and defense company that employs more than 100,000 people worldwide and generated $38.5 billion in revenue in 2021.