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) has developed and commercialized a first-of-its-kind Bluetooth capability for virtual mobile infrastructure (VMI) on mobile devices.
VMI is a secure platform that provides no data-at-rest on mobile devices, enabling secure access from any device to applications and enterprise data running in a data center or cloud environment. In July 2016, S&T awarded Mclean, Virginia-based Hypori Federal, Inc. a nearly $750,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II Other Agencies Technology Solutions (OATS) contract to further extend VMI capabilities to improve security for government mobility use.
Under the S&T Cyber Security Division’s (CSD) Mobile Device Security R&D project , Hypori expanded the VMI suite to develop Bluetooth access control for use with any mobile device. This critical enhancement allows end-users to connect their virtual device to the securely managed Bluetooth without any resident data sitting on the device.
“This new secure Bluetooth VMI enhancement is forward-thinking and has never been proven until now,” said S&T’s program manager Vincent Sritapan. “Government personnel can use the Bluetooth access control capability on the smartphone to connect to the virtual device managed in the cloud. This allows the end-user to safely connect a Bluetooth headset or mission specific equipment to the enterprise-managed virtual device.”
“This technology presents an opportunity for government to securely connect with first responders to support the Homeland Security Enterprise,” said Acting Under Secretary for Science and Technology Dr. Robert P. Griffin, Jr. “This enhancement will ensure data privacy and interoperability with device peripherals used in the field such as vehicles or other special purposed equipment.”
The VMI technology, along with eleven other mature technologies, are to be showcased and demonstrated February 14 – 15 at RSA 2017, the largest cybersecurity conference in the nation, at the DHS S&T booth located in the South Expo Hall, booth 2533.
CSD’s mission is to enhance the security and resilience of the nation’s critical information infrastructure and the Internet by developing and delivering new technologies, tools and techniques to defend, mitigate and secure current and future systems, networks and infrastructure against cyberattacks. To this end, the division conducts and supports technology transitions and leads and coordinates R&D among department customers, government agencies, the private sector, academia and international partners. For more information about CSD, visit https://www.dhs.gov/cyber-research.