Fiscal Year:
2009
Title:
Lightweight Virtualization to Detect, React, and Adapt to Cyber Attacks
Agency / Branch:
DOD / OSD
Contract:
FA8650-10-M-1770
Award Amount:
$96,156.00
Abstract:
Many software defenses against reverse engineering, piracy, and tampering rely on disabling the software when such attacks are detected. The proposed research makes innovative use of proces-level software virtualization on a per-application basis to defeat such attacks without disabling the software. The virtualization technology keeps normal operational run time overhead low, invoking more expensive graded responses only after an attack is initially detected and defeated. The graded responses will be powerful enough to cope with determined nation-state attackers possessing powerful attack resources. The defenses can be thought of as a control system, in which sensors detect attacks and actuators provide graded responses to attacks. The architecture of the defensive system is extensible, permitting further research and development to add new sensors for additional attack classes of concern to the defense community (e.g. back doors and implanted Trojan horses).
Small Business Information at Submission:
ZEPHYR SOFTWARE LLC
2040 Tremont Rd Charlottesville, VA 22911
EIN/Tax ID:
270338717
DUNS:
N/A
Number of Employees:
Woman-Owned:
No
Minority-Owned:
No
HUBZone-Owned:
No