Lecture on Cyber Survivability at Doolittle Institute

Introduction

• Speaker: Juanita Riley, Lead Senior Computer Scientist, Weapon Cyber Section, AFRL Munitions Directorate
• Host: Devin Lamonica, Innovation and Collaboration Facilitator, Doolittle Institute
• Purpose: Strengthen and broaden Science and Technology collaborations among industry, academia, and DoD.

Overview of the Munitions Directorate

• Located at Eglin Air Force Base.
• Mission: Discover, develop, integrate, demonstrate, and transition conventional air launch weapons.
• Supports transition of technologies through technology transfer, innovation collaboration, and STEM workforce development.

2023 Priority Areas

1. Digital Material Management

   • Integration of digital methodologies across a weapon system's lifecycle to accelerate capability introduction.
   • Cyber Survivability Concerns: Securing digital tools and data that produce digital twins.

2. Foundational Weapon S&T

   • Consideration of operational and functional threats during design.
   • Importance of embedded security in software and algorithm development.

3. Network Collaborative Autonomous Weapons

   • Ensures safety, trust, and functional correctness in autonomous systems.

4. S&T Enablers for Special Operation Forces

   • Require stealthier, more clandestine munitions.
   • Need for RF exploitation beyond anomaly detection.

Cyber Survivability

• Cyber Security: Prevention of adversary access.
• Cyber Resiliency: Ability to withstand and recover from cyber attacks.
• Three Pillars: Prevent, Mitigate, Recover.

Cyber Portfolio Areas

1. Assured Autonomy

   • Ensures safety, trust, functional correctness in autonomous systems.
   • Addresses manipulation attacks and the evolution of learning algorithms.

2. Embedded Systems Assurance

   • Continuous verification and attestation of components.
   • Zero Trust Architecture for untrusted hardware.

3. Secure Network Communications

   • Secure information sharing across multiple domains (ground, space, air).

4. Cyber Deception and Anti-Fragility

   • Cyber deception to disguise capabilities from adversaries.
   • Anti-fragility to recover systems to an improved state post-attack.

5. Hardware and Software Assurance

   • Testing of binaries, object code, and continuous cyber testing.
   • Scrutinizing open source and standardized security components.

Common Proposal Challenges

• Risk and New Attack Surfaces: Need to clarify risks associated with new technologies.
• Testing: Continuous and early testing to identify vulnerabilities early.
• Combining Offensive and Defensive Cyber Capabilities: Necessity of integrating offensive measures within defensive strategies.
• Supply Chain Understanding: Knowledge of component origins and potential vulnerabilities.

Cyber Principles

• Balance of risk versus benefit when developing and acquiring cyber capabilities.
• Continuous questioning to ensure a return on investment in cyber development.

Open Questions and Answers

• TRL Requirements: Up to TRL 6, more advanced projects should go to program offices.
• Resiliency amid Physical Attacks: Communication resilience in case of satellite attacks.
• Stealthy Communication Needs: Interest in stealthy communication solutions, especially for special operations environments.

Conclusion

• Encouragement to reach out for potential collaboration and proposal submissions.
• Continuous adaptation to emerging threats and vulnerabilities.

Additional Resources

• Information and presentations accessible through the Doolittle Institute website.
• Presentation recording and materials available on the Doolittle Institute's YouTube channel.

Note: Feedback form available for shaping future events.