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JHU APL Develops Space Object Tracking Tech for USSF
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JHU APL Develops Space Object Tracking Tech for USSF

Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU APL) has developed a radar technology designed to help the U.S. Space Force track satellites and other objects in space.

JHU APL said Thursday that its Deep Space Advanced Radar Concept or DARC technology uses a dish antenna array to demonstrate space object tracking. The laboratory primarily used commercial off-the-shelf hardware to build DARC as a way of reducing technical risks.

“There are potentially many applications for a system that allows coherent synchronization of radars,” said Donna Bush, who manages the DARC program for the laboratory.

APL delivered DARC to the Space Force last year and served as the program’s design agent. DARC builds on a 2009 study conducted by NASA to explore how an array of small antennas can serve as a lower-cost alternative to a single large antenna.

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DHS Directorate Looking for Flood Data Collection, Analysis Tech to Support Emergency Management Operations; Melissa Oh Quoted
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DHS Directorate Looking for Flood Data Collection, Analysis Tech to Support Emergency Management Operations; Melissa Oh Quoted

The Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate is soliciting technologies that could deliver near real-time flood information remotely to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Selected offers under the Flood Data Collection and Analysis solicitation will help FEMA in anticipating floodings to improve how the agency would mitigate and respond to such natural disasters, S&T said Thursday.

Technologies of interest for the Silicon Valley Innovation Program-led acquisition include those that provide various data related to flooding and feature situational awareness and predictive analytics capabilities.

“With reliable sources of real time flood data, DHS can improve its forecasting capabilities and aid programs designed to mitigate against future losses,” noted Melissa Oh, managing director of SVIP.

S&T will hold a virtual industry day on Thursday to discuss the solicitation with interested developers and vendors before the proposal deadlines on May 4 and Sept. 4.

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New Navy Touch Screen Trainers Prepare E-2D Aircrew for Early Warning Operations
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New Navy Touch Screen Trainers Prepare E-2D Aircrew for Early Warning Operations

The U.S. Navy recently fielded two new training systems aimed at preparing the naval aircrew responsible for flying the E-2D airborne early warning aircraft.

The Naval Air Systems Command said Wednesday the E-2D Distributed Readiness Trainers already helped members of the E-2D Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 125 complete their two-week on-site readiness training requirement.

Installed by the Naval Aviation Training Systems and Ranges program offices, the D-DRT medium-fidelity trainer presents a mock-up of the E-2D aircraft’s weapon system using commercial-off-the-shelf touch screen monitors that could accommodate two five-man teams during one training scenario.

Crew members could use the trainers to execute tactics, techniques and procedures that take place in early warning aircraft missions.

“Our ability to cycle through reps and sets of advanced tactics, techniques and procedures in a short amount of time will make the warfighter more lethal at a much lower cost to the taxpayer,” shared David Adams, a team leader within the Naval Aviation Training Systems and Ranges program office.

The D-DRT’s future versions is expected to include more capabilities for aircrew readiness.

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CISA, DOE, FBI Release Advisory on Russian Malware Attacks Targeting Energy Sector; Jen Easterly Quoted
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CISA, DOE, FBI Release Advisory on Russian Malware Attacks Targeting Energy Sector; Jen Easterly Quoted

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Department of Energy and the FBI have jointly issued an advisory on state-sponsored Russian cyber threats that targetted the energy sector from 2011 to 2018.

Russian cyber actors used the Havex malware in attempts to breach the global energy sector and the TRITON malware to compromise an energy sector organization in the Middle East, CISA said Thursday.

The U.S. government advises organizations to separate information technology networks from industrial control systems, implement multifactor authentication and manage the activity of accounts with special privileges.

The advisory also recommends the implementation of secure password policies, network traffic filtering and system audits.

“In light of the indictments announced today and evolving intelligence that the Russian government is exploring options to conduct potential cyberattacks against the U.S., CISA, along with our FBI and DOE partners, is issuing this joint advisory to reinforce the demonstrated threat posed by Russian state-sponsored cyber actors,” said Jen Easterly, director of CISA and a 2022 Wash100 Award winner.

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NNSA Announces New Grants to University Teams for Nuclear Stockpile Research
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NNSA Announces New Grants to University Teams for Nuclear Stockpile Research

The National Nuclear Security Administration has allocated $21 million in research grants to 36 projects that would study nuclear security-related topics under the Stewardship Science Academic Alliances Program.

Teams from various universities have up to three years to research areas that would prepare them for future work managing the U.S. nuclear stockpile for the government, NNSA said Thursday.

Topics covered by the recent SSAA program grants concern hydrodynamics, instabilities, hypersonics, low energy nuclear science, radiochemistry and material properties under extreme conditions and energetic environments.

“This work will expand our understanding of key scientific principles in focused research areas that are fundamental to the nuclear deterrent and will ensure a pipeline of highly trained scientists and technicians to support the future deterrent,” explained Mark Anderson, the assistant deputy administrator for research, development, test and evaluation in NNSA’s defense programs office.

The two-decade SSAA program is an effort by the NNSA to recruit technical scientists and engineers to boost the nuclear security enterprise workforce.

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GAO Unveils Policy Recommendations to Mitigate Blockchain Risks
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GAO Unveils Policy Recommendations to Mitigate Blockchain Risks

The Government Accountability Office has released four policy recommendations that could help lawmakers improve the benefits and address challenges posed by the use of blockchain technologies.

In a report released Wednesday, GAO acknowledged the potential non-financial and financial uses of blockchain, including its ability to reduce costs and accelerate financial inclusion, but noted the risks the technology poses when left unregulated.

GAO recommended that policymakers unify standards on the development, implementation and use of blockchain technologies to mitigate interoperability and data security issues and clarify existing regulations and create new rules to ensure appropriate oversight.

The agency also advised lawmakers to support the development of educational materials and training of a workforce skilled in blockchain-based products and assist in determining whether the technology is capable of achieving specific missions.

“In addition, policymakers could choose to maintain the status quo, whereby they would not take additional action beyond any current efforts,” GAO said.

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Federal CISO Chris DeRusha: OMB to Issue New Software Development Guidance
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Federal CISO Chris DeRusha: OMB to Issue New Software Development Guidance

Chris DeRusha, the federal chief information security officer, said the Office of Management and Budget plans to release new guidance intended to help agencies pursue secure software development.

The guidance, scheduled for release within the next eight to 12 weeks, will build on a Secure Software Development Framework and the Software Supply Chain Security Guidance, which the National Institute of Standards and Technology issued last month, Federal News Network reported Thursday.

DeRusha said Wednesday at a NIST-hosted workshop that adopting the framework would foster a culture change in agencies and some vendor organizations.

“This is about incenting the vendor communities that are serving and selling to the U.S. government to start adopting this framework and specifically secure development practices,” stated DeRusha, who is also a 2021 Wash100 Award.

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Sen. Rob Portman’s Report Suggests Cyber Measures Against Ransomware Attacks
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Sen. Rob Portman’s Report Suggests Cyber Measures Against Ransomware Attacks

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, the ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, has released a report that documents the experiences of three U.S. companies targeted by the ransomware group, REvil, and recommends cybersecurity measures agencies and organizations should take to counter ransomware attacks.

“This report shows that all organizations, no matter the size or financial resources, can fall victim to sophisticated cyber adversaries,” Portman said in a statement published Thursday.

According to the report, ransomware groups gain access to networks of victims through phishing attacks. REvil stole sensitive data and post that data on its public blog using double extortion schemes before encrypting the victim’s networks.

The document recommends that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) share incident reports received through the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act and strengthen partnership with the FBI to help ransomware victims.

The bureau should maintain constructive working relationship with private organizations by considering ransomware victim priorities such as data protection and damage mitigation efforts.

Other recommendations are adopting zero trust approach, implementing multifactor authentication and patching vulnerabilities, developing incident response plans, maintaining offline backups and encrypting sensitive information.

“The Biden administration should work quickly to implement my recently enacted bipartisan Cyber Incident Reporting Act. This law will help prevent future cyberattacks by facilitating increased information sharing and enhance the federal government’s cyber defense and investigative capabilities,” noted Portman.

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SEC Seeks Comments on Proposed Cyber Incident Disclosure Requirements for Public Companies
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SEC Seeks Comments on Proposed Cyber Incident Disclosure Requirements for Public Companies

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is soliciting comments on proposed rules to improve and standardize disclosures by public companies regarding cybersecurity risk management, incident reporting, strategy and governance.

The proposal would require periodic reporting of a registrant’s procedures and policies to facilitate cyber risk management and disclosures of expertise and cyber risk oversight of the board of directors, according to a Federal Register notice published Wednesday.

SEC would require the presentation of cybersecurity disclosures using Inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language or Inline XBRL. The proposed rules are part of the agency’s efforts to inform investors about the risk management, governance and strategy of a registrant.

SEC, which first announced the proposed rules in early March, will accept comments through May 9th.

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GSA Sets FY 2022 Small Disadvantaged Business Contracting Goal at 21%; Exodie Roe Quoted
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GSA Sets FY 2022 Small Disadvantaged Business Contracting Goal at 21%; Exodie Roe Quoted

The General Services Administration increased its goal to provide federal contracting opportunities for small disadvantaged businesses to 21 percent in fiscal year 2022, up from 5 percent in FY 2021.

“This is an ambitious goal – but ambitious goals are exactly what we need to promote equity and increase small and small disadvantaged business participation in the federal marketplace across all categories,” Exodie Roe, associate administrator of the office of small and disadvantaged business utilization at GSA, said in a statement published Thursday.

“GSA has an impressive track record of meeting and exceeding small business benchmarks: obligating over 46% of GSA spend to small business and just over 20% to small disadvantaged business in FY21,” Roe added.

The Office of Management and Budget released a memorandum in December, requiring agencies to increase the share of contracts awarded to SDBs to 15 percent by 2025.

In January 2021, President Biden signed an executive order that requires agencies to improve access of underserved communities and individuals to federal contracting opportunities.

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