Due to the rise of enhanced cybersecurity threats, Arktis, a leading provider of radiological and nuclear detection services, has partnered with SecuriGence, to enhance the cybersecurity protection of its radiation detection systems that search for radiological and nuclear material at points of entry into the United States, such as ports and international borders.
Arktis is leveraging its networkable radiation detection and monitoring capabilities to identify incoming nuclear material that nefarious actors attempt to smuggle into the United States. These radiation detectors incorporate over a decade of technical advancements and can now interconnect, which adds for the need for improved cybersecurity countermeasures to ensure the devices maintain a defensible attack profile.
Networking aids detection by allowing data from different sensors to be correlated, and can massively reduce the cost-of-operation. In addition, it allows a border protection officer to safely monitor numerous detectors simultaneously, focusing resources on suspect vehicles and personnel.
“The new generation of radiation detection systems has an open architecture and is networked, allowing systems to be more effective by sharing information,” said Dr. Rico Chandra, CEO of Arktis. “Nuclear weapons remain some of the most dangerous threats against the U.S. and the rise of cyber attacks increase the vulnerability of any fixed or mobile scanning devices used to detect them. By working with SecuriGence, we are able to offer effective radiation detection with incredibly advanced cybersecurity defenses.”
SecuriGence is providing Arktis clients with a secure system for using radiation detectors through continuous integration that actively runs dynamic analysis of the software and source code. These cybersecurity safeguards, developed through a SecDevOps approach, where security is integrated at the start to protect the devices from cyber attackers looking to infiltrate the radiation detectors and potentially steal or corrupt collected data.
“Whether in the physical or cyber world, our top priority is protecting the United States against potential attacks,” said Michael J. Barnhart, President, SecuriGence. “We share a goal with Arktis of keeping American citizens safe, which is a powerful reason for our partnership and motivates us to continue innovating as we keep pace with today’s threats.”
In September, Team Arktis, a partnership which includes SecuriGence, was launched to enable state-of-the-art, radiological protection to be provided to the federal government from a unified, U.S. supply chain, that exceeds industry standards. With dynamic areas of expertise in software development, engineering, serial production and training, Team Arktis works as a collective entity, meeting the technical, logistical, and commercial requirements of both federal and local customers.
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About Arktis Detection Systems
Arktis Detection Systems (ADS) develops next generation detection systems that identify, prevent, and intercept radioactive & nuclear materials in addition to contaminated cargo. Headquartered in Arlington, VA., ADS delivers modular and scalable detection systems to the U.S. market that enhance the security and facilitation of operations for its federal customers. Since its inception, Arktis has provided detection solutions to agencies, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
About SecuriGence
SecuriGence LLC (SG) is an agile, HUBZone Certified, minority and Veteran-owned small disadvantaged business headquartered in the Leesburg, VA. Established in April 2010 we have been supporting the Department of Defense and other United States Civil agencies in Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, Software Development, Cyber Security, and Cloud/Virtualization Management. Our philosophy is to utilize all available resources, methodologies, and expertise to produce a holistic approach in supporting our customers’ requirements.
About the threat, and the product
Radiological and nuclear threats range from smuggled nuclear material and bombs, to “‘dirty bombs’ -- conventional explosives encased in radioactive material to contaminate wide areas when detonated, to stolen ‘orphan sources’ typically from hospital radiology departments or industrial processes. Team Arktis products include ‘Radiation Portal Monitors’ which scan trucks and passenger vehicles for threats at ports and border crossings, and mobile sensors which can be used to search for threats over a wide area.
Small Business Impact
In September 2017, Arktis formally launched Team Arktis, a strategic partnership with organizations, including Veteran Corps of America (VCA), a Small Business Administration 8(a) and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) certified contractor, as well as SecuriGence LLC, which is an agile, HUBZone-certified, minority and veteran-owned small business.