Cyber Supply Chain Basics and the need for Research
ABSTRACT
The briefing is a basic primer on the subject of Cyber Supply Chain and its constituent elements. In general, supply chain can be defined as those essential source elements that constitute a product or program. A supply chain includes the full life cycle of a product from system or component definition and design through manufacturing, assembly and distribution, and all updates and changes by the user and provider, through end of life. The briefing will illuminate endemic vulnerabilities. Paranoia and vigilance are understood. In a connected world, if an adversary has malicious intent, it is probable that access is possible. Cyber security in the supply chain is focused on the management of cyber security requirements for information technology systems: software, hardware, and networks, which are endangered by threats such as cyber-terrorism, malware, data theft and other multiple problems. A major emphasis of the briefing will be on extant and suggested research. A suggested recommendation will be the creation of a national research database. Explanations and examples are provided for each major area under discussion.
BIO
Morris (Morrie) Levine is a retired NSA Senior Executive whose career included military service, NSA, and industry. His Air Force duty was focused on airborne SIGINT operations. At NSA his career spanned a broad variety of duties and responsibilities. Over time these included airborne systems, space system operations, electronic warfare, language processing, development of analytic tools, and training and professionalization of technical skills. Associated research activities involved speech and text processing, voice processing move from analog to digital, mass storage systems, multimedia systems, analytics, and supply chain research including program management of research involving penetration of adversary operations. In addition to his career service, he returned from retirement in 2003 at the request of DIRNSA to lead a joint DoD-DCI organization with broad involvement across the IC and military services. Post retirement full and part time service at NSA lasted from 2003 to 2017. Industry efforts have included: support to the law enforcement community on development and operation of tracking-tagging systems, support to CIA on cyber development, strategic business operations, national security consulting, co-founder of a commercial cyber company, mergers and acquisition, and a corporate proxy board. He was twice the recipient of the National Distinguished Intelligence Service Medal.