DHS to Boost Cybersecurity of First Responders

DHS to Boost Cybersecurity of First Responders' Tech

The Department of Homeland Security is looking to boost cybersecurity of advanced first responder technology.

  • Aug 16, 2017

The Department of Homeland Security is realizing that any piece of technology, even networks used by first responders, can be hacked.

The agency is giving nearly $750,000 to a small business to develop technology to improve the cybersecurity of mobile device-based sensor networks used by first responders. 

DHS' science and technology directorate announced the award Monday, lauding it as an effort to protect data used by first responders from cyber criminals as the network is comprised of a group of internet-connected sensors that collect and transmit data. That data can then be used to monitor and analyze physical or environmental conditions.

“Strengthening the security of first responder sensor networks is needed to protect data flows from attack by cybercriminals,” DHS’s acting undersecretary for science and technology, William Bryan, said in a statement. “The security enhancements developed through this project will be designed to ensure the system can be accessed and used only by approved devices and operators.”

The award is going to a company called Metronome Software through the Small Business Innovation Research program to develop a technology solution to improve the security of mobile sensor networks.

DHS is currently working to deliver advanced communications and other technology to first responders through a five-year program called the Next Generation First Responder Apex Program. As part of its work, the program is integrating plug-and-play sensors and mobile communications devices to help first responders gain access to and analyze data on the ground.

With the award, Metronome will be responsible for developing a security overlay to ensure the framework and infrastructure of the sensor system is secure.

“Because there is minimal security built into Internet of Things (IoT) devices and sensors and few security applications for them, they are susceptible to cyberattacks,” Vincent Sritapan, the mobile security program manager, said. “This project will add a security overlay for first responder IoT sensors and all other government IoT devices.”

 

Featured

  • Creating More Versatility

    Today, AI has become top of mind for most security professionals. It is the topic of conversation in the technology world and continues to transform the way data is used to make important business decisions. Read Now

  • Report: 78 Percent of CISOs Seeing Significant Impact from AI-Powered Cyber Threats

    Darktrace recently unveiled its 2025 State of AI Cybersecurity report. The findings reveal that 78% of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) surveyed say that AI-powered threats are having a significant impact on their organizations, a 5% increase1 from 2024. While an increasing number of CISOs report feeling a significant impact from AI threats, more than 60% now say that they are adequately prepared to defend against these threats, an increase of nearly 15% year-over-year. However, insufficient AI knowledge and skills and a shortage of personnel and talent continue to be listed as the two top inhibitors to a successful defense. Read Now

  • Teaching AI New Tricks

    You have probably heard that AI-enabled security cameras are evolving the role of traditional surveillance cameras, shifting the focus from passive monitoring to active problem-solving and operational insights. AI technology changes fast, so what is new can be considered only news in just a few months. Read Now

  • From the Most Visible to the Less Apparent

    The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) states “There are 16 critical infrastructure sectors whose assets, systems, and networks, whether physical or virtual, are considered so vital to the United States that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, and national public health or safety or any combination thereof.” Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities