Owl Computing Technologies deploys Secure Software Update Solution at US National Laboratory

Owl Computing Technologies Inc., based in Ridgefield, CT, announced on February 24 the latest deployment of its Secure Software Update Solution (SSUS) at a US National Laboratory. SSUS utilizes patented data diode technology to provide secure file validation and one-way transfer into secure enclaves or networks without the use of potentially contaminated portable media (USB drives, disks, etc.).

The laboratory required a solution to securely transfer very large files, software updates, and other data into highly secure networks, from lower security networks. The solution would replace an existing walk-net using portable media. The lab selected the Owl SSUS solution to help eliminate the use of portable media and provide a faster, more secure method for verifying and transferring files between network domains of different security levels.

Operating as a part of a data diode platform, SSUS provides a host of checks (manifest, file type, ASCII verification, checksum, filters, and antivirus scanning) to verify that the file to be transferred is authentic and hasn’t been compromised. When files are submitted for transfer, they are subjected to these user-defined verification checks. If the file passes these checks and validations, it is transferred across the network security boundary; if the file cannot be verified, it is quarantined. Transfers can be performed from low to high security, high to low security, or peer to peer.

“Contaminated or compromised portable media is a well-documented threat vector in highly secure networks,” said Sal Morlando, director of operations at Owl. “They can be easily infected or replaced, and offer very little assurance of data integrity. SSUS provides a simple way to eliminate this vector; allowing files, software updates/patches, and host of other data types to be transferred faster, more reliably, and more securely than portable media.”

Owl specializes in secure, one-way data transfers, and has provided numerous cybersecurity and cross domain solutions to the US government, DoD, intelligence, and other related communities. SSUS was designed with these organizations in mind, but is also being deployed in a variety of organizations in the private sector, enabling them to further secure their networks and prevent tampering with software updates and other important files.

“Owl has been a proud provider of cybersecurity solutions to the US government and National Laboratories for almost two decades,” shared Dr. Ronald Mraz, president and CEO of Owl. “We are always glad to be able to provide our public institutions and agencies with solutions that improve their cybersecurity and also to allow them to securely share data between networks.”

Source: Owl