Ireland Degges
As cyber attacks evolve and increase in frequency, the Intelligence Community is working to ensure that it is prepared to handle these threats. Taking a scientific approach to cybersecurity is the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Agency, an organization dedicated to conducting cutting-edge research for IC applications.
Cybersecurity is one topic that may be discussed at the Potomac Officers Club’s 10th Annual Intel Summit in September 2024, where experts from both the public and private sectors will come together to share their insights on the current intelligence landscape. Stacy Dixon, principal deputy director of national intelligence, delivered the opening keynote address at last year’s iteration of the event.
To learn more and register to attend the summit, click here.
Within IARPA’s expansive catalog of research projects are several initiatives in which cybersecurity takes center stage. Keep reading to learn about three of these programs.
Securing Our Underlying Resources in Cyber Environments
Known as SoURCE CODE, this upcoming endeavor aims to equip forensic experts with new technologies that could help them use coding styles to unveil actors behind cyber attacks. Using elements like source code and binary executables, experts would be able to measure the similarities between files and connect attackers to countries, groups and individuals, among other identifiers, to quickly credit malicious attacks. SoURCE CODE is expected to last for 30 months and will be split into two phases.
Trojans in Artificial Intelligence
Trojan attacks are a type of cyber attack that can enable adversaries to take control of an AI from within by training an AI technology to react to specific triggers. The goal of IARPA’s TrojAI initiative is to develop a system capable of flagging these attacks so engineers can discover compromised AI systems prior to their deployment. In testing this technology, IARPA will assess outcomes in scenarios where an AI is available for end users across a range of domains, one of which is cybersecurity.
Reimagining Security With Cyberpsychology-Informed Network Defenses
IARPA’s ReSCIND program intends to improve legacy cyber defenses to rebalance the asymmetry of cyber defense by administering a cyber penalty on attackers. This method is designed to waste an adversary’s time and effort to deter an attack. To achieve its goal, ReSCIND aims to develop new approaches for three processes: identifying and modeling human limitations or cognitive biases related to cyber attack behavior; understanding, measuring and inducing changes in cyber attack behavior and success; and providing algorithms for automated adaptation of these technologies based on observed cyber attacker behavior.
Don’t miss your chance to learn more about current IC projects at the Potomac Officers Club’s 10th Annual Intel Summit in September! Register here.
