The Air Force Research Laboratory has joined forces with students from Michigan Technological University to develop life raft platforms to support sea-based rescue efforts. AFRL researchers will help the U.S. Coast Guard develop a portable and lightweight raft offering fast deployment through helicopters and can carry approximately 100 passengers in 24 hours, the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base said Wednesday.

Elias Johnson, project manager at AFRL, said the team will leverage material expertise and human-centered design methods to identify emergency needs and create a working platform.

“Together we hope with our diverse backgrounds, focus on the end user, and technical knowledge we can save lives with our design,” added Johnson.

The teams will deliberate on the designs and create a prototype within the year. Johnson noted they are seeking to send the selected design to mass production phase once it gets confirmed.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has narrowed down its selection of algorithms to thwart quantum and traditional cyberattacks to 26, NIST said Wednesday.

NIST’s analysts and experts selected the algorithms from a pool of submissions for the agency’s Post-Quantum Cryptography Standardization program that was launched in 2016. The project seeks to establish standards for securing user information against attacks utilizing conventional or new cryptographic procedures. 

“These 26 algorithms are the ones we are considering for potential standardization, and for the next 12 months we are requesting that the cryptography community focus on analyzing their performance,” said Dustin Moody, a mathematician at NIST.

Moody added that the NIST wants to deploy quantum-resistant algorithms capable of performing lightweight cryptography and can handle devices with limited processor power. NIST also noted that phase two of the project will focus on studying the feasibility of the 26 algorithms across various systems such as large computers, smart phones, smart cards, microchips and other devices designed for an internet of things environment.

The organization said that a third increment could potentially be launched following the project’s second round of reviews.

The 35-day U.S. government shutdown resulted in “very minimal effects” on the overall cybersecurity of federal systems, according to a recent report by the information technology firm SecurityScorecard.

Researchers studied the cybersecurity of 128 federal agencies based on network security, which covers open ports and SSL certificate matters. They also studied patching cadence that involves the frequency of software updates and endpoint security, which revolves around detecting vulnerabilities in the systems of end users. The study covers signal collection on activities such as malware infections, network security configurations, web application identification, leaked enterprise credentials, endpoint security information, patching cadences, mentions in hacker forums and other potential threats.

The report noted that network security declined to 90.7 percent, a 1.58 percent decrease from the 92.28 percent recorded before the shutdown. However, researchers noted that endpoint security and patching cadence increased during the shutdown period. Endpoint security saw a 9.16 percent increase, potentially due to lesser traffic from government networks during the shutdown. Patching cadence also rose by 1.38 percent, most likely because of factors such as an increased capacity to implement overdue updates and parts of the government that were still operating during the shutdown.

According to the report, a longer shutdown ranging from 60 to 120 days would “likely have much more measurable impact” on the overall cybersecurity of federal systems.

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory established a partnership with a network of developers, startups and investors to boost the Navy’s access to the tech market for future naval capabilities. NRL said Wednesday that it will help Navy researchers understand the culture, mindset and tools being used by tech startups to develop their products. 

Amanda Horansky McKinney, head of NRL’s Technology Transfer Office, said the partnership also gives the service branch the opportunity to engage with innovators and investors in the private sector. She added it will provide “a new perspective of the innovation ecosystem and more opportunities for collaborative research and other partnerships.”

For the members of 1776, working with the Navy could increase revenue and establish other partnerships across the industry. 

“We are hopeful that this partnership will accelerate the transfer of knowledge into solutions and profit at much higher rates,” said 1776 CEO Jennifer Maher.

Rep. Jim Langevin, D-R.I., said Congress should reduce the nearly 80 groups of lawmakers that have authority over cyber issues to speed up the decision making process, Nextgov reported Tuesday. He’s requested congressional leaders limit the number of committees and create a time frame for how long lawmakers could work on each cyber-related bill. 

Langevin, chairman of the House Armed Services subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, said the current congressional committee structure leads to slow approval of cyber legislation. The process could affect how the U.S. government improves its cyber posture amid the rapidly changing threats.

“We as a Congress are going to have to move with greater agility to respond to the cybersecurity threats we face going forward, and we can’t do it under the current construct,” Langevin said during the recent 2019 State of the Net conference.

He suggested the House Homeland Security Committee lead discussions on cyber in Congress.