On October 28, Arlington, VA-based Shift5 announced its contract with the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to monitor weapon system cyber health on operational aircraft. The contract comes after Shift5 has collected hundreds of flight-hours of aircraft critical avionics systems.
Shift5 has integrated its commercial hardware and software solutions, Shift5 Intake and Shift5 Engine, on aircraft, providing a persistent real-time onboard cyber intrusion detection (IDS) and monitoring security solution, along with an integrated defensive software toolkit to enable Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) Mission Defense Teams (MDT) to conduct active cyber threat hunting and incident response on weapon platforms.
Over the past eighteen months, USSOCOM led the configuration and testing of Shift5’s active cyber IDS for AFSOC MDTs through a Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) activity from June 2020 through August 2021. The successful implementation of this capability within AFSOC MDTs resulted in a transitional capability to immediately support cyber security gaps across the US Air Force and broader Department of Defense weapon systems.
“The mission of the US Air Force is to fly, fight, and win via airpower anytime, anywhere. Shift5’s solution provides cyber-enabled air superiority. Defending our air dominance in the cyber domain is perhaps the most critical national security challenge facing the Air Force today,” said Josh Lospinoso, CEO and co-founder, Shift5. “This is what it looks like when the military takes five steps forward in cybersecurity. The Air Force is leading the way in this domain and we are proud to partner with them.”
“Air Force Mission Defense Teams (MDTs) are specifically positioned to defend our weapon systems, and we know that adversaries around the globe are advancing their cyber capabilities,” said Joe Lea, president, Shift5. “It’s imperative that we equip MDTs with the tools they need to gain visibility into and assurance over the weapon systems our troops rely on for national security.”
The contract continues Shift5’s efforts to configure, mature, and scale its commercial solution for cyber weapons systems within the Department of Defense. The company’s data-driven solutions enable weapons systems operators to build cyber resiliency and gain operational intelligence. Shift5 Engine and Shift5 Intake integrate into existing platforms, collecting and enriching data from electronic components, providing visibility and insights to improve fleet operations and comprehensive protection.
Source: Shift5
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