AF Defensive Cyberspace Operations

Integrated Defensive Cyberspace System (IDCS) enhances the Department of Air Force (DAF) cyber infrastructure and supports operations within contested environments. The IDCS mission is to provide and maintain enterprise situational awareness of the DAF's cyber terrain within a contested environment to enable and support Cyber Forces response to evolving Cyber threats. The Air Force (AF) strategy previously involved three stand-alone programs that provided capabilities in a disparate fashion. IDCS delivers a comprehensive cyber defense architecture by integrating the three key mission sets with advanced sensors and data analytics. This provides commanders with critical risk assessments and enables proactive threat identification and neutralization on mission-critical networks. Integrated Defensive Cyberspace System (IDCS) is an integrated enterprise-level cybersecurity system that safeguards DAF computer, network, weapon, and control systems. It empowers operators to detect threats and assess their impact, allowing for quick deployment of defensive measures to thwart malicious actors from exploiting critical vulnerabilities. IDCS delivers the cybersecurity requirements of a variety of operational units, including the Sixteenth AF, 688th Cyber Wing Cyber Security Service Providers (CSSPs), 67th Cyber Wing, AF Cyber Protection Teams (CPTs), Mission Defense Teams (MDTs), and network defenders. It equips these units with the tools necessary to protect DAF networks, Industrial Control Systems, and Weapon Systems. It supports both enterprise and edge/mobile cybersecurity defense use cases. IDCS provides capabilities to enable the following mission sets: Cyberspace Vulnerability Assessment/Hunter (CVA/H): The Hunter mission focuses on the capability to find, fix, track, target, engage, and assess (F2T2EA) the advanced persistent threat (APT). CVA/H provides capabilities to characterize and then eliminate threats for the purpose of mission assurance. CVA/H executes Hunter missions on Air Force (AF) and Department of War (DoW) networks and systems. Cyber Defense Analysis (CDA): The CDA mission conducts Defensive Cyberspace Operations (DCO) by monitoring, collecting, analyzing, and reporting sensitive information transiting or residing on the Air Force Network (AFNet).

The Firestarter program provides newly improved capabilities and technical transition opportunities for Cyber Defense and Information Assurance (IA) technologies and tools needed to defend Air Force (AF) Command, Control, Communications, Computer, and Intelligence (C4I) systems from cyber attacks, while ensuring recovery in the event of an attack. 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 in response to evolving threats and changes to 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 & situational awareness, persistent network operations, as well as decision support, recovery, and digital forensics. Current AF systems, such as the Air Force Network (AFNet) Non-Classified Internet Protocol Router Network (NIPRNet) Gateways, Secret Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNet) Modernization program, and Host Based Security System leverage this technology to meet their information assurance and defensive cyberspace needs/requirements. Firestarter utilizes cyber and IA technology investments by United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the National Security Agency (NSA), Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and various government research laboratories, to jump-start its development of solutions to existing AF cyber and IA requirements. This program supports AF Cyberspace strategic direction in support of Cyber Defense which provides capabilities to Sixteenth AF, as the AF component to USCYBERCOM, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), National Security Agency (NSA), and other services to ensure Global Information Grid (GIG) cyber and IA requirements are being met.