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CISA Warns of Cyberthreats Facing Critical Manufacturing Sector
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CISA Warns of Cyberthreats Facing Critical Manufacturing Sector

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has warned that the critical manufacturing sector faces the risk of cyberattacks during the COVID-19 pandemic, The Hill reported Wednesday.

An insights report from CISA has listed three potential operational vulnerabilities in industrial control systems and these are expanded cyberattack surfaces, unauthorized access in online and physical platforms and reduced network segmentation and securitization.

According to the report, the shift to robotic process automation to address pandemic-related disruption can introduce new security risks and the lack of cyber professionals can impact organizations’ ability to fight and respond to cyberthreats.

“If current trends hold, attacks against manufacturing sector infrastructure will continue to increase,” the report states.

CISA said organizations should take a multifaceted, long-term approach to mitigating cyber risks. Cybersecurity teams within companies, for instance, should invest in training initiatives to enable security analysts to remotely monitor manufacturing environments.

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Fort Myer to Repair George Washington Parkway Under $161M Design-Build Contract
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Fort Myer to Repair George Washington Parkway Under $161M Design-Build Contract

Fort Myer Construction Corp. has won a $161 million contract for the first major repair of the 25-mile George Washington Parkway in Northern Virginia in nearly six decades, the Washington Post reported Tuesday.

Under the National Park Services contract, Fort Myer will design changes to 7.6 miles of road on the northern part of the parkway before a two-year construction work starting in 2025.

Planned changes to the busy route include new asphalt, rebuilt traffic safety features, improved storm drainage, redesigned interchange and enhanced entrance and exit lanes.

According to Park Services officials, the contract will help extend the parkway’s lifespan and improve the driving experience for commuters using the affected roads.

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Marine Corps Relying on New Robot for Remote Underwater Explosive Disposal
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Marine Corps Relying on New Robot for Remote Underwater Explosive Disposal

The U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command has been deploying since September a new box-shaped robot that enables the remote identification and neutralization of underwater explosives in depths of up to 1,000 feet, National Defense Magazine reported Tuesday.

The Strategic Robotic Systems Fusion-designed robot is the first of the service branch’s Littoral Explosive Ordnance Neutralization Family of Systems that are aimed at supporting the Marines’ underwater operations.

Master Sgt. Matthew Jackson from the 1st Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company shared that the system features high-definition video capabilities, an articulator arm, sound navigation technologies and sonar sensors that would allow Marines to detonate threats from a safe distance.

Jackson noted that training for robot operations would require only around four days, shorter than the seven-week courses for in-person threat neutralization missions.

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DOE National Labs to Support State Grid Resilience Efforts; Kelly Speakes-Backman Quoted
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DOE National Labs to Support State Grid Resilience Efforts; Kelly Speakes-Backman Quoted

The Department of Energy‘s national laboratories will provide technical assistance to help states develop technologies and inform decisions that boost grid resiliency, reliability and decarbonization.

The Lawrence Berkeley, Pacific Northwest, Renewable Energy, Argonne and Oak Ridge national laboratories will support 21 public utility commissions on projects that encompass energy resilience, grid planning, distributed energy integration and environmental justice, DOE said Tuesday.

These one-to-two year projects will receive support from DOE’s Grid Modernization Initiative, which manages research and development in national pursuit of grid resiliency, security and reliability. DOE’s offices for fossil energy, nuclear energy, energy efficiency, cybersecurity and electricity collaborate on the initiative.

“Rapid technological advancements and clean energy goals present changes to the status quo—but also great opportunities for consumers,” said Kelly Speakes-Backman, principal deputy assistant secretary for DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

The national laboratories will support public utility commissions in the following states:

  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Hawaii
  • Iowa
  • Indiana
  • Kentucky
  • Massachusetts
  • Maryland
  • Maine
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Missouri
  • North Carolina
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • Oregon
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • Utah
  • Washington
  • Wisconsin
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USSOUTHCOM Eyes Expanded Space Partnerships in Americas; Andrew Croft Quoted
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USSOUTHCOM Eyes Expanded Space Partnerships in Americas; Andrew Croft Quoted

A top U.S. Southern Command official has revealed plans for a new southern space component aimed at improving the organization’s relationship with partner countries in the Americas, Air Force Magazine reported Tuesday.

Lt. Gen. Andrew Croft, USSOUTHCOM military deputy commander, told the publication that the upcoming component will work with U.S. Space Command and U.S. Space Force to contribute space domain awareness information to protect resources and prevent crime in the region.

According to Croft, plans include the expansion of the organization’s Air Forces Southern group in Arizona to a small team at the Miami combatant command headquarters that would include initial personnel of fewer than 10 planners and trainers.

“I think it’ll grow slowly over time as we do more space operations here in the AOR,” the general explained.

The planned expansion into the Americas is part of a U.S. strategy to compete with Russian and Chinese influence in the region, where the two adversary countries have already installed space facilities.

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USACE-Organized Workshop Tackles Data-Powered Analytics, AI Tools for Cyber-Energy Security
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USACE-Organized Workshop Tackles Data-Powered Analytics, AI Tools for Cyber-Energy Security

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Society for Risk Analysis recently gathered analytics experts to discuss the use of data in defending the country’s cyber-energy networks against threats.

Participants of the one-day workshop focused on a new military-led project aimed at integrating evidence-based data with advanced resilience analytics and artificial intelligence tools to produce decision-making recommendations for cyber-energy security, USACE said Tuesday.

The new project, led by USACE and executed by various Army research teams, will address challenges involved in such an integration such as the development of interpretable and equitable machine learning models and the topological resilience of networked infrastructure.

“Leveraging artificial intelligence to advance energy resiliency and security is a critical component of achieving the USACE Research and Development Strategy’s goals to Improve Community Resiliency and Ensure Secure and Reliable Installation Energy,” explained Andrew Nelson, a director within the Army’s Engineer Research and Development Center.

Alex Beehler, former assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy and environment, pointed out in a keynote speech that the service branch must first put meters across the military infrastructure to collect data for analytics and AI to work.

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Former Defense Digital Service Member Daniel Bardenstein Joins CISA to Support Cyber Division
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Former Defense Digital Service Member Daniel Bardenstein Joins CISA to Support Cyber Division

Daniel Bardenstein, formerly part of the Defense Digital Service (DDS), has joined the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to support government-wide security, according to a tweet he posted on Dec. 20th.

He will work on cyber and technology strategy to support the technical director of CISA’s cybersecurity division, FedScoop reported Tuesday. Bardenstein supported cybersecurity product management during his time at DDS.

The newly appointed CISA member formerly led cybersecurity activities under Operation Warp Speed, the government’s effort to accelerate the production and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

His professional career also includes managerial work for private sector companies including Palantir Technologies and Exabeam.

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President Biden Signs $770B Defense Bill; DOD to Develop Digital Ledger Technology for Emerging Technology
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President Biden Signs $770B Defense Bill; DOD to Develop Digital Ledger Technology for Emerging Technology

President Biden signed the $770 billion National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 on Monday following approval from the House and Senate earlier this month. 

“The Act provides vital benefits and enhances access to justice for military personnel and their families, and includes critical authorities to support our country’s national defense,” Biden said in a statement after signing the bill into law.

The new bill featured several notes, including a note in the National Strategy against Terrorism and Illicit Finance section detailing the Department of Defense’s need to develop a digital health strategy for emerging technologies, which includes distributed ledgers to incorporate emerging technologies by April 1st, 2022.

In particular, this is important to the federal government’s use and acceptance of cryptocurrencies since the NDAA didn’t specifically mention how the government plans to address the challenges surrounding crypto.

The bill also includes distributed ledger technologies under the skills expected of so-called “digital talent” hires. The bill directs the Secretary of Defense to provide a “chief digital recruiting officer” with the resources to hire those with these skills.

President Biden Signs $770B Defense Bill; DOD to Develop Digital Ledger Technology for Emerging Technology

On Jan. 27th, Potomac Officers Club will bring together distinguished government and industry leaders to offer the GovCon community an insight into the national security aspect of digital currencies. 

POC’s “Digital Currency and National Security” forum will feature National Cyber Director Chris Inglis as the keynote speaker. The event will also feature a fireside chat with the Hon. Juan Zarate from K2 Integrity and Microstrategy CEO Michael Saylor. 

Visit PotomacOfficersClub.com to register for this can’t miss event. 

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Report Shows 54% Decline in US Strikes Under Biden Admin
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Report Shows 54% Decline in US Strikes Under Biden Admin

A report by not-for-profit Airwars has found a 54 percent drop in strikes across all five U.S. conflict zones during President Biden’s first year in office.

The number of declared U.S. strikes across Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Somalia and Yemen declined to 439 by mid-December from 951 in 2020, Airwars said in a Dec. 22 news release.

The figure is “by far the lowest declared annual US strike number since at least 2004, and reflects a broader trend of declining US actions in recent years,” the report reads.

Prior to troop withdrawal on Aug. 31st, a total of 372 U.S. strikes were carried out in Afghanistan in 2021. But removing Afghanistan-related strikes, data shows that the U.S. has ordered 67 strikes across the world this year.

The number of air and artillery strikes declared by Operation Inherent Resolve, a U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, fell to 58 by early December from 201 actions the previous year, reflecting a 70 percent reduction in declared strikes.

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KBV Research: Increasing Government Initiatives to Help Drive Global AI Robots Market Growth
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KBV Research: Increasing Government Initiatives to Help Drive Global AI Robots Market Growth

A KBV Research report says the rise in the number of government initiatives to advance the development and adoption of artificial intelligence and robotics will help drive the growth of the worldwide market for AI robots in the next few years.

The market research company said it estimates that the global market for AI robots will grow at a rate of 32.3 percent over the next six years to reach $37.9 billion by 2027.

According to the report, government programs are motivating companies to advance developments and use of AI robots across different verticals. AI robots have become more prevalent in the health care sector as institutions work to better link health professionals to patients.

The rising adoption of industrial automation in industries like manufacturing and automotive sectors will help spur the demand for AI robots. The report cited the lack of skilled professionals and training as some of the factors that will restrict the use of AI robots across various domains.

Companies profiled in the report include NVIDIA, Intel, Microsoft, IBM, SoftBank Group, Xilinx, Hanson Robotics, KUKA, ABB Group and FANUC.

POC - 4th Annual Artificial Intelligence Summit

Join the Potomac Officers Club’s 4th Annual 2022 AI Summit on Feb. 16 to hear notable executive leaders within the GovCon sector discuss key AI advancements achieved over the past year and cutting-edge development strategies for 2022 and beyond.

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