Better Cybersecurity for Nuclear Arsenal Computer Systems

Better Cybersecurity for Nuclear Arsenal Computer Systems

Navy Commander Kevin Blenkhorn, a computer sciences professor at the U.S. Naval Academy, works with his Joint Services teammates during the U.S. Army’s ‘Cyber Center of Excellence’, Fort Gordon in Augusta, Ga., hosted a multi-service ‘NetWar’ to show, and build, cyber Warrior capabilities Tuesday, June 10. Twenty-eight Soldiers, Airmen, Navy and Marine Corps computer professionals comprised four teams representing the U.S. Army’s active, reserve and National Guard with one Joint-services team that included a U.S. Special Operations Command civilian. The scenarios tasked teams to reach three kinetic objectives given notional operation orders and varying levels of difficulty. Manipulating in miniaturized city structures the mimicry encouraged communication and knowledge sharing. U.S. Army Capt. Rock Stevens, 781st Military Intelligence, Ft. Meade, Maryland, U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Tim Garcia, also a computer science professor with the Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Matthew Corby a Ft. Gordon cyber warfare operator and U. S. SOCOM’s Jonathan Campbell reinforced the teams combined efforts.(Georgia Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Tracy J. Smith)

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Cyber Security has become a priority in various defense fields. Enhancing the cyber security of nuclear systems has certainly become an imperative.

A U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board Study states that “Today’s dependences on cyber systems were not prevalent when legacy nuclear systems were fielded, nor were today’s cyber threats, including supply chain concerns”. The study will be released in 2017.

The US Air Force is seeking more interactions with private sector firms to build better networks for securing nuclear weapons computer systems, service officials said.

Among other things, the Air Force is seeking partnerships designed to address potential vulnerabilities with operating systems, infrastructure and various computer networks.

Although the protection of computer networks is well established in many ways, as Air Force engineers say, the service still needs to widen its scope with greater focus on IT dimensions to its nuclear arsenal’s command and control apparatus.

“Information technology that touches weapons systems needs to be cyber secure, updated and patched. Worldwide nuclear systems are one example of where we need to get an overhaul,” Peter Kim, Air Force Chief Information Security Officer, told Scout Warrior in an interview.

Modernizing computer networks for the nuclear arsenal is part of the services’ current plan to build as many as 400 new Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles, or ICBMs, to serve through the 2070s. The Air Force is now assessing industry proposals to build the new ICBMs, from Northrop Grumman, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, according to scout.com.  

The study preview goes on to indicate that the Air Force will benefit from a clearer understanding of how nuclear weapons’ security can be achieved in today’s increasingly digital environment.

Initiatives to look at securing computer networks for nuclear weapons comprise a key part of an Air Force program aimed at better connecting with private sector innovators.

The Air Force effort, which involves strengthening email encryption and computer-virus protections, is operating within part of a broader Defense Department effort referred to as Defense Innovation Unit – Experimental, or DIUx, Kim said. DIUx centers have been announced by Defense Secretary Ashton Carter in Silicon Valley, Austin, Texas and Boston, Mass., Kim added.

“There needs to be innovative technologies that can help us be more productive, safe and secure with cyber security,” he explained.