Comprehensive and Orthogonal Vulnerability and Resiliency Analysis (COVRA) Framework for Embedded Communication System

Military satellite communications (MILSATCOM) systems are critical elements in DoD’s vision for a Global Information Grid Bandwidth Extension (GIG-BE). Modeled after the commercial Internet, the GIG will provide global connectivity to support a broad range of military user applications. Commercial networking technologies, coupled with military-unique radio communications equipment, enable the GIG to support the demands of the highly mobile warfighter operating in complex radio environments. Many cyber vulnerability assessment approaches and countermeasures are often fragmented and focused on specific layer of the system and single point solution. Such fragmented vulnerability assessment approaches and countermeasures may often lead to open doors for vulnerabilities at other layers. Hence, a holistic system level vulnerability assessment and mitigation strategy development is critical In response to such need, Intelligent Automation, Inc. (IAI) proposes to develop a Comprehensive and Orthogonal Vulnerability and Resiliency Analysis (COVRA) framework with an UHF SATCOM system as a use case. The COVRA framework analyze system level vulnerability by using layer interaction information and possible attack paths to provide a holistic system vulnerability view. It also use mission requirement, mission critical functions and recovery cost to prioritize mitigation strategy against class of cyber threats.