January 18, 2023 | International, Aerospace
F-22 cut from US Air Force data-sharing prototype
Officials told the GAO the decision to exclude the F-22 stems from the fighter's "reduced role in the future force structure," among other factors.
September 12, 2018 | International, C4ISR
DARPA Wants to Find Botnets Before They Attack
The defense agency awarded a contract to develop a tool that scours the internet for dormant online armies.
The military's research branch is investing in systems that automatically locate and dismantle botnets before hackers use them to cripple websites, companies or even entire countries.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency on Aug. 30 awarded a $1.2 million contract to cybersecurity firm Packet Forensics to develop novel ways to locate and identify these hidden online armies. The award comes as part of the agency's Harnessing Autonomy for Countering Cyber-adversary Systems program, a DARPA spokesperson told Nextgov.
To build botnets, hackers infect internet-connected devices with malware that allows them to execute orders from a remote server. Because the virus sits dormant most of the time, the owners of infected devices rarely know their computer, smartphone or toaster has been compromised.
Through the HACCS program, DARPA aims to build a system that can automatically pinpoint botnet-infected devices and disable their malware without their owners ever knowing.
Launched in 2017, the program is investing in three main technologies: systems that uncover and fingerprint botnets across the internet, tools that upload software to infected devices through known security gaps, and software that disables botnet malware once it's uploaded. Packet Forensics' technology falls under that first category, the DARPA spokesperson said.
Eventually DARPA plans to integrate each of those technologies into a single system that can spot, raid and neutralize botnet-infected devices without any human involvement. Because the tool would only target botnet malware, people could continue using the devices just as they had before, the agency said in the program announcement.
During phase one of the three-part project, Packet Forensics will build a technology capable of scanning some five percent of global IP addresses and detecting botnets with 80 percent accuracy. By the end of the program, DARPA anticipates the system to analyze 80 percent of the global internet and correctly spot botnets 95 percent of the time.
The effort is scheduled to last to four years, with the first phase running 16 months. Later phases include additional funding.
https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2018/09/darpa-wants-find-botnets-they-attack/151182/
On the same subject
-
-
January 23, 2019 | International, C4ISR
DARPA Prototype Reflectarray Antenna Offers High Performance in Small Package
DARPA's Radio Frequency Risk Reduction Deployment Demonstration (R3D2) is set for launch in late February to space-qualify a new type of membrane reflectarray antenna. The antenna, made of a tissue-thin Kapton membrane, packs tightly for stowage during launch and then will deploy to its full size of 2.25 meters in diameter once it reaches low Earth orbit. R3D2 will monitor antenna deployment dynamics, survivability and radio frequency (RF) characteristics of a membrane antenna in low-Earth orbit. The antenna could enable multiple missions that currently require large satellites, to include high data rate communications to disadvantaged users on the ground. A successful demonstration also will help prove out a smaller, faster-to-launch and lower cost capability, allowing the Department of Defense, as well as other users, to make the most of the new commercial market for small, inexpensive launch vehicles. Satellite design, development, and launch took approximately 18 months. “The Department of Defense has prioritized rapid acquisition of small satellite and launch capabilities. By relying on commercial acquisition practices, DARPA streamlined the R3D2 mission from conception through launch services acquisition,” said Fred Kennedy, director of DARPA's Tactical Technology Office. “This mission could help validate emerging concepts for a resilient sensor and data transport layer in low Earth orbit – a capability that does not exist today, but one which could revolutionize global communications by laying the groundwork for a space-based internet.” The launch will take place on a Rocket Lab USA Electron rocket from the company's launch complex on the Mahia Peninsula of New Zealand. Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor and integrated the 150 kg satellite; MMA Design designed and built the antenna. Trident Systems designed and built R3D2's software-defined radio, while Blue Canyon Technologies provided the spacecraft bus. Rocket Lab will host a webcast and provide coverage of the launch via live stream: http://www.rocketlabusa.com/live-stream. https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2019-01-22b
-
March 22, 2021 | International, C4ISR
Pentagon, Intel partner to make more US microchips for military
Amid worries about potential tampering with chips from overseas, the project seeks to convert more microchips into higher-performing designs with more security features.