DCO-Space

Mission — Defensive Cyber Ops - Space source

Defensive Cyberspace Operations Space (DCO-S) provides defensive cyber capabilities that protect United States Space Force (USSF) mission systems, to include their associated computer systems, software applications and sensitive operational information against unauthorized intrusion, corruption, and/or destruction. The emphasis of the program is directed toward defensive cyberspace capabilities; computer and network systems security; damage assessment and recovery; cyber threat recognition, attribution, and mitigation; and active response methodologies to respond to evolving threats and changes to the cyber environment. These areas of emphasis are realized through research and development, test and acquisition in the areas of proactive defense, defensive counter cyberspace, cyberspace intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, command and control situational awareness, persistent network operations, as well as decision support, recovery, and digital forensics. The development of DCO-S tools for the ground segment implements a combined Development/Security/Operations (DEVSECOPS) framework, using the Software Acquisition Pathway (SWP) Adaptative Acquisition Framework, which incorporates methodologies, technologies, and tools to deeply embed security best practices into the modern development workflow and tool-chain. This effort primarily institutes two product lines: Manticore (Detect & Identify) and Kraken (Protect & Respond). It will endeavor to identify shared/common platform, infrastructure, and data layer solutions to support open frameworks and architectures across the enterprise ground portfolio. Manticore and Kraken make use of open source and commercial tools to create the platform used to defend space mission systems with some of the content customized to address space-unique requirements such as protocol analytics. There are no commercial off-the-shelf solutions that address the threat to unique USSF systems, so tailored content is required to support the DCO-S mission.. DCO-S enables Space Delta (DEL) 6 and the mission Deltas to perform cyber-integrated space operations that identify, detect, protect against, respond to, and recover from malicious threats to space mission systems. These developments deploy both out-of-band (Manticore) and in-band (Kraken) cyber defense tool suites for the ground mission systems to Space Delta 6 (Cyber Ops) protecting the following mission sets: Protected Communications, Missile Warning, Military Strategic Communications (MILSATCOM), Position Navigation and Timing (PNT), Ballistic Missile Command and Control, Space Domain Awareness (SDA), Nuclear Command Control and Communications (NC3), and Command and Control Satellite Operations (C2 Sat Ops). DCO-S software development must also increase and adapt to support software development to on-board classified mission systems and new data types not in the baseline software to keep pace with the cyber threat. DCO-S evolves Wide Area Network development to meet security, sustainment, and reach-back requirements for the USSF Cybersecurity Service Provider. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605827F, 0605828F, 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605832F, 0605833F, 0605898F, 0606398F. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development because this budget activity includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate production funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (1)