Lockheed Martin Supplies Health ISAC with Secure Info Sharing Portal
Lockheed Martin [LMT] has partnered with the National Health-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NH-ISAC) to provide the company’s Threat and Information Sharing Portal (TISP), a web-based secure platform that enables members of the group to share cyber intelligence with their trusted peers in the private sector and government. Within the TISP, cyber analysts leverage detailed information, including unique characteristics of cyber threats or attacks across their industry group. The NH-ISAC allows owners, operators and key stakeholders in the public health community to provide comprehensive sector analysis including risk mitigation, incident response, alert and information sharing. “As the nation’s healthcare community continues to expand the integration of technology to support healthcare innovation, service delivery, and HITECH Act implementation, we face new regulatory requirements and unprecedented cyber security and privacy challenges,” says Deborah Kobza, executive director and CEO of NH-ISAC. “Launching TISP represents an essential step towards securing our nation’s healthcare and public health critical infrastructure.” Lockheed Martin’s TISP is in use with a consortium of U.S. electrical utilities.
NASA, Partners Flight-Test Sense and Avoid UAS Technology
NASA, the MITRE Corp. and the Univ. of North Dakota (UND) have completed two weeks of flight testing sense and avoid technology aimed at helping unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) better integrate into the national air transportation system. MITRE and UND developed automatic sense and avoid computer software algorithms that were uploaded onto a NASA Langley Research Center general aviation aircraft, a Cirrus SR-22 that flew 147 maneuvers during 39 hours of flight tests in airspace near the Grand Forks International Airport in North Dakota. A supporting UND Cessna 172 “intruder” plane also participated in the flights. During the testing the NASA aircraft demonstrated how technology onboard allowed it to sense and avoid the UND aircraft. The Cirrus aircraft, which as been developed as a testbed to assess and mimic UAS, had a safety pilot in the cockpit but computer programs developed by MITRE and UND automatically maneuvered the aircraft to avoid conflicts. The data from the flight testing will validate work done in simulation and help engineers determine how they can design systems so that UAS can be safely incorporated into the national airspace. Follow-on testing is planned that will feature additional software by MITRE and UND as well as sense and avoid software managed by a task automation framework developed by Draper Laboratory.
Cross Match Launches New Generation of Guardian Scanners
Cross Match Technologies last month launched its next-generation of Guardian fingerprint scanners, the Guardian and Guardian IP, offering a self-guided 10-print capture process. The two scanners incorporate FlexFlat and FlexRoll capture modes to capture both rolled and flat fingerprints anywhere on the paten whether the subject’s hands are wet or dry. The self-guided screen prompts a user through all the steps by indicating finger sequence, placement and pressure. The Guardian IP connects directly to the network, eliminating the need for a local computer and operating system. “Sharing all the features of the Guardian, the Guardian IP also has an internal processor designed to enable the device to operate as a network appliance,” says David Buckley, CEO of Cross Match. “When coupled with our recently launched WEBS server-based application, it delivers unprecedented security and privacy, with extremely low maintenance efforts.” Cross Match’s original Guardian system is part of the US-VISIT program for biometric identification. Separately, Cross Match has partnered with NEC Corp. of America to demonstrate NEC’s facial and forensic latent print matching technologies on Cross Match’s SEEK handheld multimodal biometric device. “NEC’s NIST-leading facial recognition and automated latent print matching technologies, as integrated into the SEEK mobile handheld device, provides local matching of both photo and latent prints against an onboard watchlist, enabling timely and efficient access to critical information,” says Glenn Hickok, senior vice president of sales for Cross Match.
L-3, Virginia Tech Open Cyber Security R&D Center
L-3 Communications [LLL] and Virginia Tech have opened a new research center in Northern Virginia that is focused on advancing cyber security-related research and development (R&D) leading to customer solutions. L-3 will operate the National Security Solutions Center which will have about 70 cyber security professionals, three labs, and through its relationship with Virginia Tech be able to access the National LambdaRail and Internet2 advanced technology communities and multiple federal networks. The center will operate at the Virginia Tech Research Center in Arlington, Va. Through the partnership L-3 researchers will have direct access to Virginia Tech labs, technical equipment and development tools as well as academic and research staff to create cyber solutions for the company’s customers. Under the partnership L-3 will receive exclusive licensing rights to the products and services developed jointly by the company and Virginia Tech. L-3 says that the new center will also serve as a platform for prototype demonstrations, operational capabilities, and the development of customized solutions and accelerated technology transfer to customers. The center’s areas of focus include security communications across wireless networks and the Internet, virtualization and cloud computing, developing mobile device security solutions, and the detection, attribution and mitigation of cyber threats.