For Immediate Release
DHS Science & Technology Press Office
Contact: John Verrico, (202) 254-2385
WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) today awarded $119,000 to Ionic Security, Inc. based in Atlanta, Georgia, to advance detection and monitoring for Internet of Things (IoT) systems security. This award, under the Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) Other Transaction Solicitation (OTS), sought to attract non-traditional performers to offer solutions to some of the toughest challenges facing DHS and the homeland security mission. The project, titled “Manageable At-Scale Crypto for Securing the Internet of Things,” was awarded through Securing the Internet of Things (IoT), Solicitation Number: HSHQDC-16-R-00035, the first call for proposals from the program.
“We are proud of the momentum coming out of this initiative,” said DHS Under Secretary for Science and Technology Dr. Reginald Brothers. “Through our innovation programs in Silicon Valley and across the country, S&T is committed to working with our private sector partners – both large and small – to identify, assess and develop potential solutions to Homeland Security requirements.”
The Internet of Things is a convergence of mobile devices, information technology networks, connected sensors and devices. The DHS OTS call for security solutions seeks novel ideas and technologies to improve situational awareness and security for protecting these domains, including 16 critical infrastructure sectors monitored by DHS.
“We’ve had a positive response from the start-up community,” said Melissa Ho, managing director, of S&T’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program. “We’re also excited by the diversity of solutions this solicitation is able to bring to DHS.”
The Ionic Security team proposes to apply a novel distributed data protection model to solve the authentication, detection and confidentiality challenges that impact distributed IoT devices. Specifically, Ionic Security aims to improve the integrity of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Systems and industrial control infrastructure as well as critical components deployed in the DHS network.
For more information on future OTS solicitations, visit our Homeland Security Innovations Program page or contact dhs-silicon-valley@hq.dhs.gov.
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