Pentagon Cloud Migration Fights Cybersecurity Challenges

By Kris Osborn – Managing Editor – Warrior Maven

The Pentagon is working with industry to accelerate widespread migration to cloud technology to enable faster decision-making, AI implementation, rapid data organization and improved IT security, Pentagon leaders said.

The multi-faceted initiative includes data consolidation, reducing the hardware footprint and efforts to connect satellite ground terminals more seamlessly with one another; the key concept, of course, is to increase access to otherwise disparate pools of information, share information quickly and give combat commanders more options on a faster time frame.

The current weaponization and attempted “hardening” of space systems, data networks and C4ISR technologies are key issues reletated to the ongoing effort to move quickly to cloud systems, at the direction of Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan.

At the same time, cloud migration is widely understood to involve a particular paradox; while cloud technology can enable more seamless or ubiquitous virtualized security systems, it can also bring the risk of exposing larger amounts of data to potential intruders should an attack be met with initial success.

One solution, which also implicitly brings some contradictions and challenges, is to rapidly harvest commercial technological solutions which, for instance, can allow networks to download the most advanced patches or fixes on a faster time frame. Commercial security solutions can bring advantages in other respects as well, DoD leaders say.

“Industry has taking some security practices with great encryption baked in. From day one the department will see significant security benefits which will improve our posture,” said Essy Miller, Acting Chief Information Officer, DoD.

The large-scale DoD move to integrate Window 10 is an example of this strategy.