Sandia Researchers Developing Instrument to Detect Biothreat Agents
Sandia National Laboratories is developing a medial diagnostic instrument that would be used to quickly detect a number of biothreat agents as a point-of-care device. The range of agents Sandia’s SpinDX team hopes the device will detect includes anthrax, ricin, botulinin, shiga and SEB toxin. Sandia says such a point-of-care device does not current exist. “This is an unmet need for the nation’s bio-defense program,” says Anup Singh, senior manager for Sandia’s biological science and technology group. The SpinDX device uses centrifugal forces to manipulate samples and reagents through microfluidic channels implanted on disks that are the same size as a standard CD or DVD. Sandia believes that once development of the device is completed and the Food and Drug Administration approves it, SpinDX would likely be used in emergency rooms in the event of a bioterrorism event. Work on the product is funded by a four-year, $4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Redlen Signs Partnership Agreement with In-Q-Tel for Semiconductor Rad Detectors
Redlen Technologies, Inc., has signed a partnership agreement with the non-profit investor In-Q-Tel calling a strategic investment in the company to accelerate the product development and commercial deployment of its Cadmium-Zinc-Telluride semiconductor radiation detector products for the defense and security marketplace. In-Q-Tel supports the needs of the intelligence community. The CZT detector technology allows for the direct conversion of radiation to electronic signals, which improves energy resolution and image quality for more precise radioactive isotope detection. The detectors operate at room temperature and use solid-state semiconductor materials, allowing for the instruments that integrate them to be compact, lightweight and portable. “The product operating environments for IQT’s intelligence community customer base are extremely demanding,” says Glenn Bindley, president and CEO of Redlen. “The IQT investment will allow us to accelerate the timescales and increase the breadth of detector products to meet the needs of this unique market.”
Praetorian Offering Advanced Persistent Threat Simulation
Information security assessment and consulting firm Praetorian has expanded its offerings to include a service to help its clients contend with advanced persistent cyber threats. The firm is offering controlled Red Team exercises designed to simulate real world advanced threats by using adaptive strategies for circumventing next-generation security controls and incident response best practices. “In today’s changing security environment, where advanced persistent threats are playing such a dramatic and notable role, it is the security team’s responsibility to ensure that senior leadership understands and accepts risk associated with modern day advanced threat,” says Paul Jauregui, Praetorian’s vice president of marketing. “We help security teams effectively communicate the ‘so what’ factor from the organization’s perspective.”
Air Force Command Grants Kratos License as Space Certifying Authority
The Air Force Space Command has granted a license to Kratos Defense & Security Solutions [KTOS] SecureInfo group as Special Agent of the Certifying Authority, allowing the business unit to leverage its satellite and cyber security subject matter expertise to provide comprehensive information security assessments in support of space systems. “Kratos SecureInfo is one of the only cyber security providers with the expertise to support both general information technology and specialized space systems,” says Christopher Fountain, senior vice president at SecureInfo. “This award builds upon our existing work supporting the Air Force Senior Information Assurance Office with security assessment of information technology systems. We look forward t supporting the goal of streamlining the validation process and enhancing the overall effectiveness of the Air Force Space Command Certification and Accreditation process.”
With Codebench, HID Expands FIPS-201 Compliant pivCLASS Solutions
Following the acquisition of software developer Codebench late last year, HID Global has expanded its pivCLASS government solutions portfolio with the addition of PIVCheck Plus software, which allows customers to collect cardholder data and enroll the information into a variety of physical access control systems (HSR, Jan. 16). PIVCheck, which is a Codebench product, is now called pivCLASS Registration Engine and pivCLASS Certificate Manager. “The addition of Codebench products greatly increases the capabilities of our pivCLASS registration system and provides a clear migration path towards FIPS-201 compliance for facilities that require highly secure multifactor access control,” says John Fenske, vice president of marketing for Physical Access Control with HID Global. HID’s pivCLASS solutions provide full Personal Identity Verification and Public Key Infrastructure functionality at the door for government agencies and contractors enabling them to comply with federal identity mandates. The pivCLASS solutions also include various smart credential readers, credentials, and an authentication module.
CGI Consolidates Cyber Security Expertise in New Center
Canada’s CGI Group [GIB] has created a new security center to bring together its security professionals and offerings to better respond to the rapidly increasing risk of cyber security threats facing Canadian business. The Security Centre of Excellence has more than 200 security professionals, an around the clock Security Operations Centre, and is one of three accredited security evaluation test centers in Canada. CGI says the move unifies its security practice in Canada and creates a focal point for its national and local security services. “Our clients are well supported locally, while being confident that CGI has the international expertise to stay ahead of the global nature of cyber threats,” says Dominique Gagnon, vice president of Security Services at CGI.