Subject: LRDR Industrial Control System (ICS) Cybersecurity & Risk Management Framework (RMF Solutions)
The Challenge:
The LRDR weapon system program is a $1B client acquisition program to develop and implement a new long range radar that will provide precision metric data to improve ballistic missile defense discrimination and replace existing sensors in the Ballistic Missile Defense System. It is the backbone of the client’s layered defense strategy to protect the U.S. homeland from ballistic missile attack. Sentar was subcontracted by multiple construction company prime contractors and tasked with implementing DoD-mandated cybersecurity on the Information Control Systems (ICS) systems within the multiple LRDR building construction projects. The ICS system consists of the Building Management System (heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and water control), the Power Monitoring and Management Control System (power generation, power switching, power quality, back-up battery control) and the Fire Alarm/Mass Notification System. Sentar faced the challenge of successfully implementing DoD cybersecurity standards and RMF processes on the LRDR ICS systems during construction in order to minimize overall risk to the LRDR program.
The Solution:
Our ICS team worked with the client to successfully navigate the RMF process and ensure the delivery of secure LRDR ICS systems to the operating organization. Sentar worked with MDA to initially categorize the Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability mission impact levels for each ICS which laid the framework for the security controls that were then implemented on the systems. Early in the building construction, Sentar was instrumental in coordinating with the clients to change the plan for the ICS Authorizing Official (AO) and RMF implementation. Based on the client’s processes and requirements, our cybersecurity analysts developed the RMF artifacts, standard operating procedures, and implemented and assessed the security controls. We entered all required data into the Enterprise Mission Assurance Support Service (eMASS) in order for the client’s system owner to seek an Approval to Operate (ATO) on the ICS systems.
The Mission Impact:
• Assissted Mission in Protecting National Security:
LRDR is a large solid-state ground-based radar that consumes a very large amount of power and generates a considerable heat load that needs to be controlled and managed by ICS systems in order to successfully operate the radar. A failure of any of the ICS systems could lead to failure of the radar and a degradation to the U.S. homeland defense from ballistic missile attacks.