26 décembre 2018 | International, C4ISR

How the new acting Pentagon chief views cybersecurity

President Donald Trump announced in a Dec. 23 tweet that Patrick Shanahan will become acting secretary of defense Jan. 1, replacing outgoing Pentagon chief Jim Mattis two months early. While it is not clear how long Shanahan will remain in the job, he is on the short list of officials who could become the full-time Pentagon chief.

Regardless of the length of his tenure, Shanahan, the Pentagon deputy since 2017, has been one of the Pentagon's top advocates for stronger contractor cybersecurity and IT acquisition and will lead the department months after it was given expansive and loosely defined authorities to conduct offensive cyber operations.

How Shanahan will handle these greater cyber authorities, even on a temporary basis, remains an open question that will be tested immediately amid evolving challenges, such as an alleged hacking campaign from China.

Unclear views on cyber operations

In August, the secretary of defense was given the ability to conduct offensive cyber operations without informing the president as long as it does not interfere with the “national interest” of the United States, four current and former White House and intelligence officials have told Fifth Domain.

A Pentagon official told Fifth Domain that while there is a general outline of what specific operations may affect the American “national interest,” some details are not explicitly defined.

And a review of his public remarks show that Shanahan has not made significant comments about how America should conduct offensive cyber operations. He has shiedaway from giving detailed responses about U.S. Cyber Command.

“There are two new war-fighting domains, cyber and space, for which we are developing doctrine and capabilities,” Shanahan said Sept. 19.

A spokesperson for Shanahan did not respond to questions from Fifth Domain.

Focus on defense contractors

As deputy, Shanahan has focused on “re-wiring” the Pentagon. He has called good cybersecurity “foundational” to working with the department.

“Cybersecurity is, you know, probably going to be what we call the ‘fourth critical measurement.' We've got quality, cost, schedule, but security is one of those measures that we need to hold people accountable for,” Shanahan said Sept. 19 during an Air Force Association conference.

Shanahan's focus on contractor cybersecurity comes as China is believed to be targeting defense contractors, particularly those on the lower end of the supply chain, in an attempt to steal sensitive American secrets, according to intelligence officials and industry executives.

Shanahan, however, has placed responsibility among the top defense firms.

“I'm a real strong believer that the Tier 1 and Tier 2 leadership has a responsibility to manage the supply chain,” Shanahan said in the Sept. 19 speech.

In October, Shanahan was put in charge of a new Pentagon task force to combat data exfiltration that focuses in part on these defense firms.

“Together with our partners in industry, we will use every tool at our disposal to end the loss of intellectual property, technology and data critical to our national security,” Shanahan told Fifth Domain in October.

A specific area of focus inside the department is finding out which companies are in the Pentagon's supply chain, according to officials involved in the process, but it is not clear if it is specifically part of Shanahan's task force.

Inside the Pentagon, Shanahan has also emphasized the need for smarter IT acquisition.

In an October. interview with Fifth Domain, Shanahan expressed frustration with the Pentagon's procurement process, but said to expect “a number of things that are foundational to being able to achieve enterprise solutions.”

He hinted that those changes are focused on the “right platforms and the right level of integration” that can support high-end computing and artificial intelligence.

“I'm super frustrated that we can't go faster on like basic things like the cloud,” Shanahan said. “Most of everything we do is software-driven.”

Aaron Mehta contributed to this report.

https://www.fifthdomain.com/dod/2018/12/24/how-the-new-acting-pentagon-chief-views-cybersecurity

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11 juillet 2019 | International, Aérospatial

Air Force unveils ‘Digital Air Force’ initiative
By: Diana Stancy Correll The Air Force is launching a “Digital Air Force” initiative aiming to revamp its data management, IT architecture and business operations so the force will remain competitive against adversaries. “Our advantage in future battles depends on our ability to fuse vast amounts of data to accelerate our decision cycle to guarantee the success of any mission," said acting Air Force Secretary Matthew Donovan in a news release Tuesday. “Victory in combat will depend on us becoming a Digital Air Force.” This means the Air Force must establish tools to efficiently generate information and data in real-time to help the service make informed and quick decisions, he said. "Doing so will allow the Air Force to rely less on personal experience or intuition. The Digital Air Force initiative, detailed in a July white paper, focuses on eliminating “antiquated processes” and overhauling how the service curates, uses and shares data and information, amid difficulties coordinating systems across air, land, sea and cyber domains. Specifically, the initiative calls for cultivating a 21st century IT infrastructure that can react to the demands of modern combat. This will require cloud-based solutions to store and share data so airmen have constant access to data, the white paper says. Additionally, the Air Force said it is creating data management architecture and standardized policies that facilitate sharing data and using platforms. “This requires data that is gathered, stored and transmitted in commonly read and digested formats to minimize the delay between receiving, processing and using information derived from multiple systems,” the white paper said. The service said it is hiring contracted service providers to handle daily IT infrastructure management so cyber professionals can “focus on warfighter tasks and connecting information operations to our tactical and strategic ends.” The process accompanies the Air Force's plan to streamline its business practices to free up funding for “efforts that increase the lethality and readiness of the force.” “We must move beyond antiquated processes, systems and mindsets,” the white paper says. “We will pursue new ways to leverage technology and institute a culture of innovation and informed risk-taking.” Such changes will influence every segment of the service, the Air Force said. The undersecretary of the Air Force is spearheading the initiative. “The Air Force must control and manipulate massive volumes of information to out-think and out-maneuver its opponents,” Donovan said. “The Digital Air Force initiative will ensure all Airmen have uninterrupted access to the data they need, where and when they need it.” https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2019/07/10/air-force-unveils-digital-air-force-initiative/
10 mars 2021 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

Opinion: Five Takeaways From Recent Defense Investment Activity | Aviation Week Network
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19 juillet 2019 | International, Autre défense

Intelligent Waves Awarded $43 Million VETS2 Task Order
RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Intelligent Waves LLC, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) providing end-to-end information technology solutions, announced it was awarded a $43 million task order to provide cybersecurity support to the Joint Force Headquarters – Department of Defense Information Network (JFHQ-DODIN). Under this task order, Intelligent Waves and teammates, Booz Allen Hamilton and Cinteot, will provide technical support to enhance readiness and security under the DODIN Readiness Security Inspections (DRSI) program. Tasks include inspections, evaluations, validations, and audit regimens that will ensure DCO and DCO-IDM effectiveness. The task order has a one-year base period of performance with four additional option years. “We have proudly supported the DoD with innovative IT and cybersecurity solutions since inception,” said Matt Stern, chief information security officer for Intelligent Waves. “This win is an affirmation that we understand the cyber threat landscape and the importance of protecting the DODIN.” About Intelligent Waves Founded in 2006, Intelligent Waves LLC is a service-disabled veteran-owned small business providing innovative end-to-end information technology solutions to public and private sector clients worldwide. Solving challenges in systems engineering, cloud computing, cyber and mobility, we deploy secure technologies and digital strategies to drive innovation and impact for our customers. For more information, visit www.intelligentwaves.com. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190718005623/en

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How the new acting Pentagon chief views cybersecurity

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Opinion: Five Takeaways From Recent Defense Investment Activity | Aviation Week Network This year, companies large and small will constantly have to assess and reassess where they can best compete.

Opinion: Five Takeaways From Recent Defense Investment Activity | Aviation Week Network
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