Today our economic strength and national security depends on a vast array of interdependent and critical networks, systems, services, and resources, known as cyberspace. Without a secure cyberspace, our nation cannot conduct everyday business transactions.  The advancement of technology has simplified our daily lives, allowing us to quickly connect to our friends, family and services.  However, being constantly connected has increased the risk of cybercrime like identity theft.  No business, small or large, is immune to today’s cyber risks. 

To raise the importance of cybersecurity, DHS S&T is engaging our stakeholders and our nation’s citizens to learn more about how to increase resiliency.  Throughout the month, we will be launching two social media campaigns and a Twitter Chat to provide better awareness of cybersecurity concerns and safety tips.  Cybersecurity affects everyone and it’s essential for everyone to do their part.

Social Media Campaign 1:  Learn how S&T is protecting our nation.

Throughout October, the Cyber Security Division (CSD) will be releasing tweets on our cybersecurity projects.  To engage in the conversation, follow us on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtags #CyberResearch and #NCSAM.

CSD’s mission is to contribute to enhancing the security and resilience of the nation’s critical information infrastructure and the Internet by developing and delivering new technologies, tools and techniques to defend, mitigate and secure current and future systems, networks and infrastructure against cyberattacks.

Social Media Campaign 2:  Protect yourself! Get quick tips to keep cyber safe.

Throughout October, the Cyber Security Division (CSD) will be releasing cyber tips on how to remain safe.  Tips will draw from topics such as social media, network security and more.  To engage in the conversation, follow us on Facebook and Twitter using hashtags #CyberTip #NCSAM and #CyberAware. 

Twitter Chat:  Defending against Distributed Denial of Service Defenses (DDoS) attacks!

Date: October 21, 2015
Time: Noon – 1:00 p.m. EST

Overview: 

Today any organization that relies on network resources is a potential target for Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.  DHS Science & Technology Cyber Security Division (CSD) is developing solutions to defend against these attacks. DDoS Defense Program Manager Dan Massey will explain how DDoS attacks have been conducted against financial institutions, news organizations, providers of Internet security resources, and government agencies and how attacks have grown in scale, from tens of gigabits per second to hundreds of gigabits per second.

To counter this threat, DHS S&T CSD recently awarded $14 million of R&D funding to eight performers, which are comprised of academia, large and small businesses. Over the next 36 months, DHS S&T has also challenged security researchers to defend against an attack that might exceed one terabit per second (Tbps) and originate from over 1,000  locations. Our objective is to develop collaboration tools that address technical challenges, as well as legal and organizational policy challenges.

DHS S&T will also look to promote the deployment Source Address Validation.  If such techniques were widely deployed, it would be more difficult to carry out DDoS attacks.  The DDoSD program also aims to develop countermeasures for new types of attacks that attempt to overload power and cooling capacities in data centers or to compromise emergency management systems. The program also addresses countermeasures for protecting cyber assets in the event of an attack on the scale of a  9/11 or a Next Generation 911 event.