CybersecurityS&T awards $11.6 million to defend against network, internet disruptions

Five research organizations were awarded separate contracts totaling $11,511,565 to develop new methods to identify and attribute Network/Internet-scale Disruptive Events (NIDEs), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) announced today.

Disrupted internet connectivity may significantly impact critical infrastructure systems, such as energy and water systems, the finance sector, commerce, and public safety and emergency communications systems, as well as other essential systems on which society is dependent. Despite the impact of NIDEs, there is a lack of any rigorous understanding of internet outages or sufficient tools for their systemic and timely identification.

“Successfully defending critical infrastructure systems requires providing owners and operators the capabilities to monitor, identify and defend against network/internet disruptive events,” said William N. Bryan, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Under Secretary for Science and Technology. “These research and development efforts will significantly enhance our ability to spot and thwart attacks on the nation’s critical systems.”

S&T says that S&T’s newly established Predict, Assess Risk, Identify (and Mitigate) Disruptive Internet-scale Network Events (PARIDINE) project is working to develop innovative technologies that will provide systems and capabilities to identify, classify, and report NIDES.  The research will also provide attribution for NIDEs, including a measure of the confidence. This project already has several potential customers including the Federal Communications Commission and DHS’ National Protection and Programs Directorate’s Office of Emergency Communications.

“Each of the selected organizations have proposed innovative approaches that will significantly advance the ability of network defenders to detect NIDEs and  take steps to mitigate the impact of the attacks,” said S&T Program Manager Dr. Ann Cox. “Once launched, these solutions will help tilt the playing field in the favor of network defenders.”