Space ISAC Holds Third Board Meeting
Virtual Meeting Follows Months of Progress Made Towards Institutional Milestones
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, March 16, 2020 – Conceived by the Science & Technology Partnership Forum in 2017 in response to recognized information-sharing gaps within the cybersecurity and space community, the Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC) was announced in April 2019 during a classified session at the 35th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, CO. The Space ISAC held its inaugural board meeting in November 2019.
Last week, the Space ISAC board met for its third board meeting virtually.
Between the inaugural board meeting and this third official gathering, the Space ISAC has continued to grow, announcing multiple new members of the founding board and convening for their second board meeting in January of 2020. During the that meeting, the Space ISAC’s bylaws were formally established and the group began the important work of the Space ISAC, including achieving exciting institutional milestones such as launching an Information Sharing Working Group to lay the plans for Space ISAC’s threat intelligence sharing.
David Weissmiller, Parsons; Space ISAC Chair, Member and Benefits Committee, said, “The partnerships that the Space ISAC brings to the enterprise could not have come at a more relevant time. Every element of the space domain is realizing revolutionary changes sparked by the advances in technology, including the advances in the threats to the space ecosystem. This makes the establishment of the Space ISAC an imperative for success. Parsons is proud to be a part of this organization and helping to protect and secure the domain.”
The second board meeting came the day before the Space ISAC met with stakeholders from the federal government, including the National Security Council, National Space Council, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, Department of Commerce, Department of State, and others. Together, the Space ISAC board and the government stakeholders discussed how to maximize the value of this information sharing group focused on space.
A senior government official said, “The first meeting between the U.S. Government and the Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center is an opportunity to enhance our collaboration and learn from each other. The United States looks forward to cultivating a relationship with the Space ISAC as it works to gather, analyze, and disseminate critical cyber threat information related to space.”
In February, the Space ISAC attended RSA 2020 in San Francisco, CA, where the group conducted an interactive workshop for space industry leaders with the support of founding board member, MITRE. The workshop served as an opportunity for industry leaders to share perspectives on how to maximize the value of this information sharing group and to discuss cyber threats facing the space industry and how the industry can pool resources and knowledge to develop solutions to mitigate them.
“This workshop included new potential contributors to space cyber security capability development,” said Scott Kordella, Director of Space Systems for MITRE. “That’s why we went to RSA – to seek the most cutting edge new cyber protection capabilities. At MITRE, we feel that space is another sector that needs to improve its cyber protection posture using approaches that other sectors have developed. Space, while a unique operating environment, is no different than others in many ways. We seek to take advantage of that fact and make progress on this quickly.”
As the group met officially for the third time, Space ISAC worked to finalize the scope of threats to the space industry, made plans to announce a new website and a threat intelligence platform and run the first Space ISAC Summit.
Background
ISACs are sector-specific, member-driven organizations stood up by the commercial sector with support from the federal government to collect, analyze, and disseminate cyber and physical security threats and risk mitigation information to critical infrastructure owners, operators, and members to increase resiliency.
The Space ISAC is the only space-dedicated ISAC and is made possible through the investment by its board and founding members. Initial founding members of the Space ISAC, which include Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS), Booz Allen Hamilton (NYSE: BAH), MITRE, SES, Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC), and Parsons Corporation (NYSE: PSN), are each granted a seat on the board of directors and has a role in fulfilling the mission of the ISAC: to facilitate collaboration across the global space industry to enhance our ability to prepare for and respond to vulnerabilities, incidents, and threats; to disseminate timely and actionable information among member firms; and to serve as the primary communications channel for the sector with respect to this information.
The need for a Space ISAC was conceived by the Science & Technology Partnership Forum in 2017 in response to recognized information sharing gaps within the cybersecurity and space community with the goal of enhancing the community’s ability to prepare for and respond to vulnerabilities, incidents, and threats; disseminate timely information; and serve as the primary communications channel for the sector with respect to this information. The Forum shared this vision at the 34th Space Symposium in April 2018. In September 2018, the White House published the White House’s National Cyber Strategy, which stated that “the Administration will enhance efforts to protect our space assets and support infrastructure from evolving cyber threats,” while working “with industry and international partners to strengthen the cyber resilience of existing and future space systems.”
The Space ISAC was announced in April 2019 during a classified session at the 35th Space Symposium and is located at the National Cybersecurity Center in Colorado Springs, CO.
About Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.
Kratos develops and fields transformative, affordable technology, platforms and systems for United States National Security related customers, allies and commercial enterprises. Kratos is changing the way breakthrough technology for these industries are rapidly brought to market through proven commercial and venture capital backed approaches, including proactive research and streamlined development processes. Kratos specializes in unmanned systems, satellite communications, cyber security/warfare, microwave electronics, missile defense, hypersonic systems, training, and combat systems. For more information go to www.KratosDefense.com.
About Booz Allen Hamilton
For more than 100 years, military, government, and business leaders have turned to Booz Allen Hamilton to solve their most complex problems. As a consulting firm with experts in analytics, digital, engineering, and cyber, we help organizations transform. We are a key partner on some of the most innovative programs for governments worldwide and trusted by their most sensitive agencies. We work shoulder to shoulder with clients, using a mission-first approach to choose the right strategy and technology to help them realize their vision. With global headquarters in McLean, Virginia and more than 80 offices worldwide, our firm employs more than 26,100 people and had revenue of $6.7 billion for the 12 months ending March 31, 2019. To learn more, visit www.BoozAllen.com. (NYSE: BAH)
About MITRE
MITRE’s mission-driven teams are dedicated to solving problems for a safer world. Through public-private partnerships and our federally funded R&D centers, we work across government to tackle challenges to the safety, stability, and well-being of our nation. For more information about MITRE, please visit www.MITRE.org.
About SES
SES is the world’s leading satellite operator with over 70 satellites in two different orbits, Geostationary Orbit (GEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). It provides a diverse range of customers with global video distribution and data connectivity services through two business units: SES Video and SES Networks. SES Video reaches over 355 million TV homes, through Direct-to-Home (DTH) platforms and cable, terrestrial, and IPTV networks globally. SES Video delivers a full suite of innovative end-to-end value-added services for both linear and digital distribution, and includes the ASTRA satellite system, which has the largest DTH television reach in Europe. SES Networks provides global managed data services, connecting people in a variety of sectors including telecommunications, maritime, aeronautical, and energy, as well as governments and institutions across the world. The SES Networks portfolio includes GovSat, a 50/50 public-private partnership between SES and the Luxembourg government, and O3b, the only non-geostationary system delivering fibre-like broadband services today. Further information is available at: www.ses.com.
About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 105,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. For more information, visit www.lockheedmartin.com/cyber.
About Parsons
Parsons (NYSE: PSN) is a leading disruptive technology provider for the future of global defense, intelligence, and critical infrastructure, with capabilities across cybersecurity, missile defense, space, connected infrastructure, and smart cities. Please visit parsons.com, and follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook to learn how we’re making an impact.
About Purdue University
Purdue University, a top public research institution, offers higher education at its highest proven value. Committed to affordability, the university has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, all while offering degrees from top-10-ranked Colleges of Engineering, Agriculture, and Pharmacy. Purdue is ranked 17th for public universities by U.S. News and World Report and established the nation’s first Department of Computer Science in 1962. Its cybersecurity program is similarly groundbreaking and is currently ranked the No. 2 cyber school. With 24 alumni who became NASA astronauts, including the first and most recent person on the moon, Purdue is called the “Cradle of Astronauts.” Committed to pursuing scientific discoveries and engineered solutions, Purdue has streamlined pathways for faculty and student innovators who have a vision for engaging with the private sector and moving the world forward. Further information is available at: www.purdue.edu.
About the National Cybersecurity Center
The National Cybersecurity Center (NCC) is recognized as a leader in cybersecurity and serves as the operational arm of the Space ISAC. Locating the Space ISAC at the NCC allows Space ISAC members to have access to Colorado’s space and cybersecurity ecosystems within the commercial and defense sectors and to the talents of the premier higher education institutions developing cybersecurity engineers. Together, NCC and the Space ISAC serve cyber influencers from the commercial sector, academia, government, and military and empower people to secure commercial, international, and military space communications from attacks on our global space assets. They are jointly building a research and development capability, cybersecurity training curriculum, and an analysis portal. With the addition of the Space ISAC, NCC is offering training on secure GPS and hosts a dialogue on the importance of international and commercial satellites on military communication at the annual Cyber Symposium. Visit www.cyber-center.org for more information.
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