SpiderOak announced on December 16 that Red Cat Holdings has selected SpiderOak to perform a comprehensive Blue UAS cybersecurity assessment of its Black Widow Short-Range Reconnaissance (SRR) platform.
As part of the Defense Innovation Unit’s (DIU) Blue UAS framework, SpiderOak—an official Recognized Assessor—will conduct vulnerability analysis, penetration testing, and Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI) evaluations to support Red Cat’s inclusion of the Black Widow on the Blue UAS Cleared List.
As a DIU Recognized Assessor, SpiderOak delivers a suite of independent cybersecurity evaluation services under the Blue UAS framework—designed to verify and enhance the cyber resilience of unmanned systems before they enter the Department of War supply chain.
For Red Cat’s Black Widow platform, SpiderOak’s team will perform a comprehensive Blue UAS assessment, including vulnerability analysis, penetration testing, and Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI) evaluations. These services provide critical validation that the platform meets stringent U.S. Government cybersecurity, supply chain, and compliance standards.
SpiderOak’s methodology integrates advanced threat modeling, secure-by-design analysis, and supply chain forensics to help partners like Red Cat meet or exceed requirements under NIST 800-171, NIST 800-53, and Executive Order 14028. Through its role as a Recognized Assessor, SpiderOak supports the rapid fielding of trusted, mission-ready systems that advance U.S. defense and intelligence operations across all domains.
“Red Cat is an industry leader pushing the boundaries of all-domain defense operations, and the Black Widow™ platform plays a critical role in ensuring our warfighters maintain situational advantage,” said Michael Carlson, senior director of business development for SpiderOak. “Our Blue UAS assessment services are designed to deliver outcomes quickly for the warfighter—helping trusted partners like Red Cat validate cyber readiness, achieve certification, and get critical capabilities into the field sooner. By bringing zero-trust principles and a rigorous, data-driven assessment methodology to the forefront, we’re enabling faster, more secure deployment of mission-critical UAS across the Department of War.”
“Cybersecurity is foundational to trust and mission assurance,” said Jason Gunter, VP of tech and innovation at Red Cat Holdings. “Working with SpiderOak ensures that Black Widow™ not only meets Blue UAS standards but sets a new benchmark for how defense-grade UAS platforms should approach cyber protection and supply chain integrity.”
Source: SpiderOak
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