DHS S&T, NSA Demonstrate Automated Security Vetting for Mobile Apps
The Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate and the National Security Agency, have jointly demonstrated the automated testing of mobile apps to make sure they are compliant with security requirements for federal use. S&T says that testing for compliance with the NSA’s National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) Protection Profile has traditionally been a long and costly process but through the joint pilot effort, the agencies have shown that the automated process allows agencies to quickly, affordably and reliably determine if their apps meet NIAPs stringent security requirements. “Automated testing will help bring the speed of NIAP evaluations to keep pace with the rapid, agile development and release cycles of today’s modern mobile app ecosystem,” says Mary Baish, director of NIAP. S&T’s partners of Mobile Security and Emergency Communications Kryptowire and Intelligent Waves worked on the pilot too. The demonstration involved Kryptowire
’s vetting infrastructure to perform and automated analysis of the Android and Apple iOS version of Intelligent Waves’ Hypori app. The Leidos [LDOS] Common Criteria Laboratory then analyzed Kryptowire’s results to determine if they were consistent with a conventional evaluation.
CBP Records Record Marijuana Seizure on Northern Border
Customs and Border Protection officers in late June seized 9,472-pounds of marijuana within a commercial shipment at the Peace Bridge Cargo Facility in Buffalo, N.Y., the largest narcotics seizure ever on the northern border. The drugs were found inside the trailer of a tractor trailer using a VACIS gamma-ray detection system. The VACIS system is supplied by Leidos [LDOS]. CBP says the drugs have an estimated street value worth more than $20 million. The VACIS scan uncovered anomalies within storage bins inside the trailer. A physical exam revealed 55 wooden pallet boxes that contained vacuum sealed packages of marijuana. From Oct. 1, 2019 through June 27, 2020, ports within the Buffalo Field Office, which covers 16 ports of entry throughout New York state, have made over 700 narcotic seizures totaling more than 20,180-pounds, an increase of about 2,000 percent from fiscal year 2019 during the same period.
Smiths Detection to Acquire U.S. Bio-Detection Firm
Britain’s Smiths Detection in late June agreed to acquire Baltimore-based PathSensors, a developer of technology used in the detection of deadly pathogens for defense, food safety and emerging disease applications. Terms of the deal, which is expected to close in the next few weeks, were not disclosed. Smiths Detection, which has well developed capabilities in chemical, radiological and explosive detection, says the acquisition will add biological detection technology and solutions to its portfolio. PathSensors has a customer base similar to what Smiths has for chemical-threat detection and will help it move into other areas of the bio-detection space as the world continues to confront the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. “The acquisition of PathSensors will allow us to broaden our detection capabilities within the biological spectrum, which is becoming more relevant in the current environment,” says Roland Carter, president of Smiths Detection. “This is consistent with our approach to increase our focus on investing selectively in technology and innovation for the purpose of getting closer to our customers and expanding into new adjacencies.”