Cyber-attacks are growing at an alarming rate. Information security incidents reported by federal agencies jumped from less than 6,000 in 2006 to more than 65,000 in 20141. Networks are the first line of defense. We’re helping our customers defend against cyber-attacks.
A key cyber defense is to know as much as you can about potential threats. Several years ago, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began a program to share classified threat information with approved organizations such as AT&T. The combination of government-classified and commercial non-classified threat information produces a richer set of data to help defend against attacks. It’s allowed us to strengthen our Enhanced Cybersecurity Services, which we make available to commercial customers.
Our Enhanced Cybersecurity Services contain an email filtering feature that scans inbound emails and attachments and compares the data against all known threats. It helps defend against Advanced Persistent Threats: continuous attacks, usually by the same source, aimed at compromising computing systems and/or stealing information. It also includes a Domain Name “sinkholing” feature that blocks attempts to divert users’ computers to unsafe websites.
The government is deploying similar capabilities to protect itself. DHS recently awarded us a contract to provide Intrusion Prevention Security Services (IPSS), or Einstein 3 Accelerated (E3A) protections, for federal civilian agencies. DHS set up E3A as part of the National Cybersecurity Protection System (NCPS) to stop malicious traffic from harming agency networks.
Like our Enhanced Cybersecurity Services, the IPSS platform detects potential email threats and blocks attempts to divert users’ computers to unsafe websites. We expect to have our initial IPSS countermeasures ready this year to help protect government data and .gov websites against cyber-attack2.
Today, information is currency, power, and advantage. The combination of government threat information and commercial threat indicators boosts our ability to help the federal government and businesses in their ongoing fight against cyber threats.
1 Source: United States Government Accountability Office (GAO). Testimony before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of Representatives. “CYBERSECURITY Actions Needed to Address Challenges Facing Federal Systems.” Statement of Gregory C. Wilshusen, Director, Information Security Issues. April 22, 2015. http://www.gao.gov/assets/670/669810.pdf- see page 6, bottom.
2 Government agencies seeking AT&T’s Einstein/IPSS protections should contact the DHS Office of Cybersecurity and Communications, Network Security Deployment – Services Integration Division at NCPSProgramOffice@hq.dhs.gov