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The threats of yesterday no longer remain valid in the
technology-laden environment of today. Cyberattacks are prevalent
and are one of the most serious and emerging threats facing the
Navy. For this reason, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme
Division (NSWC PHD) subject matter experts are taking steps to
protect the surface fleet’s combat and weapon systems from virtual
attacks by adding a cyber incident response capability to its 24/7
Watch program.
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October 22, 2017 - The guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53)
sails past Port Hueneme, Calif. after the successful transport of
passengers and equipment to and from the ship. Mobile Bay is
currently underway testing the updated AEGIS Baseline 9 weapons
system in preparation for its upcoming deployment. (U.S Navy Photo
by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad M. Butler)
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“Cybersecurity tension is growing more each day,” said
Phong Trinh, NSWC PHD Combat System Cybersecurity engineer.
“PHD’s 24/7 Watch is established to provide combat system
technical assistance to the Aegis and Ship Self Defense
System (SSDS) ships. PHD is in the planning phase working
with the 24/7 Watch to include support to Littoral Combat
Ship (LCS). The 24/7 Watch can be used to provide
cybersecurity as well as combat system support, and it is
the vehicle for ships to reach subject matter experts (SME)
quickly.”
Hosted by NSWC PHD, 24/7 Watch provides
ships with round-the-clock access to command SMEs who cover
a wide range of weapon system disciplines, provide
continuous system monitoring, and conduct corrective actions
when needed. This specialized form of distance support is a
necessity to ensure the strength of the U.S. Navy, enabling
the fleet to be combat ready at all times.
Due to its on-call nature and
access to classified networks, 24/7 Watch is an ideal
platform for quickly providing combat and weapon system
cybersecurity support to Sailors at sea. NSWC PHD is poised
to deploy this capability, having already conducted a
tabletop exercise to confirm a solid communication path
between ships and their respective organizations.
“Anytime ships experience suspicious cybersecurity events,
they contact Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command (NCDOC),”
explained Trinh. “NCDOC serves as the Navy’s cyber security
service provider, maintaining watch across networks,
managing incidents, and mitigating potential attacks.
Oftentimes, they are the first to notify a ship when they
detect suspicious activities on the Navy network, and
likewise, are the first notified by a ship when the crew
detects a problem. The ship can also use 24/7 Watch to
contact PHD to receive assistance with conducting further
investigation and collecting critical information.”
Trinh worked closely with NCDOC and key stakeholders to
include 24/7 Watch as part of the cyber incident response
process. Moving forward, the NSWC PHD cybersecurity team
plans to conduct a more formal exercise in spring 2018 to
solidify the notification process across all organizations.
In addition, the team is working with LCS to identify
requirements for future cyber-related support.
NSWC
PHD is a field activity of NAVSEA and provides the global
United States Navy fleet with integration, test and
evaluation, lifecycle logistics, and in-service engineering
for today’s and future warfare systems. Located at Naval
Base Ventura County, Calif., NSWC PHD employs more than
2,500 personnel.
By U.S. Navy Nichole Susanka, Naval Surface Warfare Center
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2017
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