DHS S&T expands cybersecurity tech pilot

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) announced that it is expanding a pilot test of technology that improves the cybersecurity defenses for the country’s emergency communications infrastructure.

In a news release issued on Thursday, S&T said it would be funding Odenton, MD.-based SecuLore Solutions to do research and development of a cybersecurity defense solution based on predictive analytics and cyber data to detect and mitigate cybersecurity attacks on emergency communications systems, including Next Generation 911 and Internet Protocol-based technologies. The company provides near-real-time behavioral threat analysis of traffic hitting an emergency communications center’s (ECC) network, which can, in turn, recommend remediation steps based on the behavior and/or type of malware.

“We are continuing to improve the resilience of the nation’s critical emergency communications infrastructure,” said Billy Bob Brown Jr., CISA’s executive assistant director for Emergency Communications. “Enhancements to cybersecurity of evolving NG911 systems, collaboration with our stakeholders, and improving access to 911 infrastructure are critical to defending public safety communications systems.”

SecuLore is currently testing the pilot solution with the Palm Beach County, Fla., Emergency Services Department and will expand the pilot to five other ECCs across the country, S&T said. Each pilot test location will receive a minimum of two months of pilot activity, including 24-hour oversight of the security operations center network, a weekly vulnerabilities report, and immediate notification of any critical vulnerabilities to ensure each pilot test location understands the vulnerability and takes appropriate remediation steps.

During the pilot period, SecuLore will gather feedback and insight from uses on their solution’s performance and capabilities the use the information to help the company and DHS better understand how ECCs could deploy and manage the technology.