Active Software Defense to Reduce Threat Capability Effectiveness

In order to better protect critical infrastructure from cyber attacks, perimeter and passive defenses must be complemented with an active defense mechanism which elevates the risks, or costs, a potential attacker will face. The effectiveness of an active defense mechanism, however, is ultimately limited by its ability to detect threats fast, accurately, and reliably. For this Phase II project, we propose to build upon the successful feasibility results of a novel integrity assessment approach called Power Fingerprinting (PFP) and develop a commercial prototype of an active defense solution for critical embedded systems. The prototype will be implemented using commercial off-the-shelf components to accelerate development and reduce risks and costs. The prototype will be able to monitor the execution of a variety of embedded platforms and deploy effective responsive measures to in the event of a malicious intrusion. The PFP active defense solution represents a dual-use opportunity with a broad range of applications within the military, the federal government, and several commercial companies. Commercialization of this technology at the end of Phase III will address a growing cyber security market estimated in over $3 Billion in the DoD alone, with an even greater value for the commercial sector.