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Karen Evans: DHS Consolidates Network, Security Operations Centers
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Karen Evans: DHS Consolidates Network, Security Operations Centers

Karen Evans, chief information officer at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said DHS is merging its security and network operations centers to keep systems operational as analysts respond and investigate a cyber incident, FedScoop reported Wednesday.

“It’s not just consolidation for consolidation’s sake,” Evans said Wednesday during an ACT-IAC event. “It’s the next evolution of providing and managing risk to keep the business going while we are then analyzing, being aware of and being able to protect our operations.”

She said DHS is considering ways how to staff the newly formed network operations security center with federal and contract employees. Evans also provided updates on the Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation program and Cybersecurity Talent Management System in relation to NOSC.

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Dana Deasy: DoD’s CIO Office Helping Services Branches Prepare for Future JEDI Cloud Migration
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Dana Deasy: DoD’s CIO Office Helping Services Branches Prepare for Future JEDI Cloud Migration

Dana Deasy, chief information officer at the Department of Defense and a 2020 Wash100 Award winner, said his office has begun working with service branches to help them prepare for their future transition to the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure cloud, C4ISRNET reported Wednesday.

“We’re doing a lot of work with the services on getting them prepared to move their [software] development processes and cycles to DevOps so when the JEDI cloud finally does get awarded, we’re not starting at Day One,” Deasy said Wednesday at a Defense Writers Group roundtable.

DoD reaffirmed its decision to award the JEDI cloud contract to Microsoft in early September but a new court schedule showed several scenarios that could stretch the contract protest into 2021.

Amid the ongoing court proceedings, Deasy said the armed services should now start identifying tools, directories and integration environments in order to link users to the cloud once it becomes available. He cited how JEDI could help DoD address critical capability gaps and discussed the cloud program’s role in the Joint All-Domain Command and Control concept.

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U.S. State Dept, Greece Partner for Joint S&T Pursuits
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U.S. State Dept, Greece Partner for Joint S&T Pursuits

The U.S. and Greece have signed an agreement to jointly explore science and technology opportunities while protecting the intellectual property rights of inventors and researchers. 

Mike Pompeo, secretary of state, and Adonis Georgiadis, development and investments minister of Greece, signed the U.S.-Greece S&T Agreement at a ceremony held Monday.

The agreement allows both countries to better compete against threats in the Eastern Mediterranean region and expands U.S. access to foreign expertise.

Greece, a NATO ally, is home to Thessaloniki city's technology hub where U.S. companies, such as Cisco and Pfizer, seek to expand.

Tesla, meanwhile, is pursuing drive train-focused research and development activities in Athens. Google and other companies including Apple and Microsoft have supported COVID-19 response in Greece.

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Army Eyes Contract Awards for Virtual Training Systems Modernization Through FY 2022; MG Maria Gervais Quoted
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Army Eyes Contract Awards for Virtual Training Systems Modernization Through FY 2022; MG Maria Gervais Quoted

The U.S. Army has continued its efforts to establish requirements and identify potential commercial sources for the service branch’s virtual training programs.

The Army’s Combined Arms Center – Training (CAC-T) component is currently conducting a study on modernizing the service’s live training systems to inform requirements for projects slated for fiscal years 2023 through 2027, National Defense Magazine reported Tuesday.

Maj. Gen. Maria Gervais, director of the synthetic training environment (STE) cross-functional team at Army Futures Command (AFC), told the publication that the Army needs “help from our industry partners” to continue developing the training platform and refining its automation elements.

The Army previously opened an integration complex to house the development of STE's baseline simulation applications as well as activities with industry and the academe.

The Army plans to release a $957 million contract for the Cyber Training, Readiness, Integration, Delivery and Enterprise Technology (TRIDENT) system in the third quarter of fiscal year 2021. TRIDENT serves as part of the Persistent Cyber Training Environment (PCTE).

The service also intends to issue a potential $200 million award for the Intelligence Electronic Warfare Tactical Proficiency Trainer (IEWTPT) Increment II in the first quarter of fiscal year 2022. A request for proposals is slated for release in FY 2021’s second quarter. 

General Dynamics’mission systems business serves as the incumbent contractor for IEWTPT.

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GAO Issues Report on Best Practices, Challenges in Agile Software Dev’t
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GAO Issues Report on Best Practices, Challenges in Agile Software Dev’t

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a report stating that the federal government should consider implementing Agile software development practices to encourage early customer input and other organizational benefits.

“Agile is an approach to software development that encourages collaboration across an organization and allows requirements to evolve as a program progresses,” the report states.

GAO said in the report published Tuesday that its Agile Assessment Guide outlines best practices for the software development concept including dynamic, team-based operations and requirements prioritization.

The watchdog also recommends agencies to establish an integrated team that will handle contracting, program management and software development operations to streamline collaborations with industry partners.

According to GAO, implementing Agile best practices will help agencies be more flexible in addressing evolving technological obstacles while reducing program risks and accelerating deliveries.

However, the watchdog noted that agencies must be prepared to face challenges such as the need for organizational commitment, technology transition issues, mistrust in iterative procedures and misaligned agency practices.

“By engaging customers early and iterating often, agencies that adopt Agile can also reduce the risks of funding failing programs or outdated technology,” the report added. 

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DHS Taps Two Companies for Network Modeling Tech Dev’t
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DHS Taps Two Companies for Network Modeling Tech Dev’t

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has awarded SecureLogix and Achilles Heel Technologies a total of $1.96 million in funds through Phase II of the Small Business Innovation Research program to build technologies that will support dynamic network modeling capabilities for emergency communication and risk management networks. 

SecureLogix will continue the development of a modeling tool that will assist 911 decision makers in planning prevention approaches for telephony denial of service attacks, DHS said Tuesday.

Achilles Heel will build a suite of software tools designed to perform cyber risk management activities for Next-Generation 911 platforms such as dynamic network models.

"Now, many new data types are accepted by NG9-1-1 centers, such as text, video, images, and even information directly from an automobile in the event of an accident. All these data types increase the attack surface in cyberspace, in addition to the traditional TDoS and other attacks that originate in the phone system at 9-1-1 centers," said Ann Cox, SBIR topic manager at DHS' science and technology directorate.

The awardees may compete for Phase III contracts after the completion of their prototypes to pursue funding from non-SBIR government sources and the private sector.

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NSF Names Sean Jones as Directorate Head; Sethuraman Panchanathan Quoted
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NSF Names Sean Jones as Directorate Head; Sethuraman Panchanathan Quoted

Sean Jones, former acting deputy division director at the National Science Foundation's (NSF) division of materials research, has been appointed to lead NSF's mathematical and physical sciences directorate. Prior to his appointment, Jones most recently served as acting assistant director at the MPS directorate, the agency said Tuesday.

"Sean Jones’s expertise and experience as a leader both in academia and industrial research are rich perspectives that we need as we advance this agency into the future," NSF director Sethuraman Panchanathan said. "Sean has an excellent track record of fostering scientific discovery and the mission of NSF, and he brings the kind of enterprise focus that we need to get things done at speed and scale. Dr. Jones is the ideal person to lead this critical area of NSF."

Jones started his career at NSF in 2009 as program director. He also led research and development teams at Bell Labs, Lucent Technologies and two undisclosed startup companies. He worked as a senior scientist at the University of Florida and assumed the roles of department chair and professor for optical engineering at Norfolk State University.

"This is an exciting time for mathematical and physical sciences, and I am honored to continue working with such an extraordinary community," Jones said. "MPS advances some of the most compelling scientific questions that grow the U.S. economy, develops the industries of the future, enhances the nation’s global leadership in innovation, and ensures our national security."

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DoD’s Gregory Kausner: Increased Focus Needed for Domestic Parts Manufacturing
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DoD’s Gregory Kausner: Increased Focus Needed for Domestic Parts Manufacturing

Gregory Kausner, executive director for international cooperation at the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (OUSD A&S), has said the Pentagon is continuing assessments of potential COVID-19 impacts to defense suppliers.

Kausner told attendees at the ComDef 2020 virtual event that his office seeks to understand short- and long-term impacts of the pandemic to the industrial base while “appropriately reorienting the department's efforts through a broad range of responses," the U.S. Army said Tuesday.

According to Kausner, the Department of Defense (DoD) has found vulnerabilities in its international supply chain that handles the manufacture of critical components for a range of applications including microelectronics, hypersonics, cyber, artificial intelligence, machine learning, space, quantum science, biotechnology and 5G communications.

The DoD is looking to transition production activities to “less vulnerable” international suppliers while re-shoring work to domestic entities, he noted. Kausner also emphasized the need to drive partnerships and alliances with foreign companies on research efforts that can benefit the U.S. and its allies.

Whether acquiring innovative technologies from the department's own labs, U.S. industry or foreign companies, "the key to innovation is not just the innovation itself, but also the adaptation to the innovation and the integration of the innovation, because, without that, it's simply a shiny object," Kausner added.

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Lt. Gen. Stephen Fogarty: Army Cyber Command Shifts to Information Advantage Approach
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Lt. Gen. Stephen Fogarty: Army Cyber Command Shifts to Information Advantage Approach

Lt. Gen. Stephen Fogarty, who leads the U.S. Army’s Cyber Command (ARCYBER), said his group is shifting from a warfare-focused approach to one that prioritizes information advantage. Fogarty said Tuesday at the CEMAlite Conference that Army Cyber Command’s new “information advantage” approach may help forces realize decision dominance, a state wherein a commander can understand situations and execute actions faster than enemies.

“Decision dominance is a desired state in which a commander can sense, understand, decide and act faster and more effectively than an adversary,” Fogarty said. “That allows the commander to gain and maintain position of relative advantage. This is not only the cyber domain, it’s not only in the [radio frequency] spectrum, but it’s in the larger or the greater information environment.”

To provide information advantage and decision dominance for commanders, the command will require a variety of capabilities, such as cyber, intelligence, psychological operations, public affairs and space.

One of the primary goals is ensuring the network, which Fogarty refers to as the foundational weapon system, is available so commanders can achieve overmatch of the adversary. This overmatch can be kinetic or information, he said.

As the Army prepares to rename ARCYBER with a new identity more focused on information, officials are working to implement changes built on real-world demands, Fogarty added.

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National Security Agency Launches the Center for Cybersecurity Standards; Neal Ziring Quoted
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National Security Agency Launches the Center for Cybersecurity Standards; Neal Ziring Quoted

The National Security Agency (NSA) has launched a new office that will support NSA’s mission to implement cybersecurity across critical systems. This office will lead NSA’s Cybersecurity mission to engage with standards bodies to communicate security requirements and influence standards to secure our National Security Systems and provide support to the Defense Industrial Base (DIB).

“The rapid evolution of technology presents security challenges to all networks, including National Security Systems,” said Jessica Fitzgerald-McKay, CCSS co-lead. “Our engagement with standards bodies improves cybersecurity for the nation and our collaboration ensures vendors understand security requirements for NSS and the DIB.”

The Center for Cybersecurity Standards (CCSS) will coordinate with standardization entities regarding security requirements needed to protect national security systems, NSA said Tuesday.

The agency will use CCSS to inform and influence cyber standards, and in turn, help the defense industrial base keep these systems protected. CCSS is now working on standards for cryptographic algorithms, cybersecurity automation, platform resilience and security protocols.

“Our goal is to create cybersecurity improvements through emerging opportunities by working with government partners like the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), international partners like Common Criteria and industry groups to ensure future standards are both strong and practical, matching the level of security needed for each product,” states Neal Ziring, technical director for NSA Cybersecurity.

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