i 0 75 L020 0-9 0a ® 0 @ ® @ ol € 2 9 9a 01 m 0 C SA x2 al of RN 00 © 4 © © SE 4 v SE S ACARI WELCOME The National Security Agency NSA and its predecessors have been protecting the United States’ most sensitive information since World War II As communication technology and information technology have advanced — creating a more interconnected world with an increasing number of threats — NSA’s mission has expanded and it has embraced new responsibilities and operational authorities to ensure our networks remain secure Today NSA’s cybersecurity mission integrates its cryptographic expertise signals intelligence vulnerability analysis defensive operations and more to prevent and eradicate cyber threats to NATIONAL SECURITY SYSTEMS NSS Networks that contain classified information or are otherwise critical to United States military and intelligence activities It is vital that these networks remain secure to ensure mission readiness of U S warfighting capabilities as well as protect the nation’s most sensitive information THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DOD U S military services and combatant commands as well as U S government agencies and departments related to national security THE DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE DIB Companies that design develop operate and maintain the Department of Defense’s critical systems platforms and technologies required to defend the nation If these networks are at risk so is the U S While much of the critical work NSA does to secure the nation cannot be publicly disclosed this year in review shares a wealth of information on cybersecurity efforts that have better equipped the U S to defend against the highest priority cyber threats Visit NSA gov cybersecurity to access the report digitally Provide NSA Cybersecurity with feedback or ask questions by emailing cybersecurity@nsa gov TABLE OF CONTENTS LETTER FROM THE NSA CYBERSECURITY DIRECTOR 02 RESPONDING TO NATIONAL THREATS AND PRIORITIES 04 PARTNERING WITH INDUSTRY 08 ARMING NET DEFENDERS WITH GUIDANCE 16 DEFENDING OUR MOST CRITICAL NETWORKS 19 CREATING CRYPTOGRAPHY TO PROTECT DATA COMMUNICATIONS 22 PROTECTING THE WARFIGHTER AND SUPPORTING THE COMBATANT COMMANDS 26 RESEARCHING CYBERSECURITY SOLUTIONS 31 DEVELOPING THE CURRENT AND NEXT GENERATION OF CYBER EXPERTS 34 LETTER FROM THE NSA CYBERSECURITY DIRECTOR CYBERSPACE IS DANGEROUS More than a month before Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February a cyberattack took down several of Ukraine’s government websites An ominous message greeted visitors “… be afraid and expect the worst This is your past present and future ” While Europe hasn’t seen this level of kinetic activity since World War II this hybrid war started in cyberspace It’s an environment where actors can increase their power degrade others and gain a strategic advantage — often at a very low cost In the weeks leading up to and following Russia’s invasion in Ukraine at least seven new families of destructive data wipers were used One even attacked satellite broadband service to disrupt Ukraine’s military communications on the day of the invasion but spilled beyond the conflict impacting critical infrastructure remote monitoring of wind turbines in Germany emergency services in France and internet access of select users in Europe Industry observed and reported on many of these destructive wipers demonstrating their unique insights into the conflict The Russian threats did not stop with Ukraine Hacktivists targeted our Defense Industrial Base and the communications and weapons systems of EUCOM and NATO were in the We are driving security outcomes by sanitizing and sharing our secrets www NSA gov cybersecurity crosshairs of our adversaries The keys codes and cryptography we provide are vital Encryption is the last line of defense Our focus extends beyond the Russia-Ukraine conflict but this example demonstrates the complex environment Our approaches must scale for China Iran North Korea cybercrime and other threats In addition to the insights we receive from industry we are committed to contributing our unique value to the conversation foreign intelligence practical experience with exploitation tradecraft and deep technical expertise of our adversaries Often what we know is not as sensitive as how we know it Our insights are useless unless someone can take action with them We empower our industry partners to act on that information and benefit from both their action and their insights Our Cybersecurity Collaboration Center CCC has formed hundreds of industry partnerships with the goal of better protecting our Defense Industrial Base and sensitive government systems The intelligence picture we build LETTER FROM THE NSA CYBERSECURITY DIRECTOR and security improvements we make together scale far beyond defense contractors For example we reach a cumulative estimated 2 billion endpoints through sharing info to technology providers and cybersecurity companies By protecting our most sensitive networks we help protect yours We aren’t just throwing our partners an IP address over our barbed-wire fences either In the last year we’ve performed 10 000 robust bidirectional exchanges through our CCC We work with industry to investigate the unknown and our partners often take actions that have global implications such as issuing patches for zero-day vulnerabilities before our adversaries can perform widespread exploitation These efforts are critical because our adversaries are conducting increasingly sophisticated and broad intrusions with consequences that transcend international borders For our most important secrets they will go to significant lengths and we must defend with rigor and depth We must form collaborative campaigns to counter nation-state and cybercriminal threats that put our national security at risk They have to combat immediate threats like Russia as well as pervasive threats like China Our aptly-named Adversary Defeat team is leading the charge in this area by collaborating with our interagency partners to generate outcomes against our highest priority threats We work across a wide array of departments and agencies each with unique complementary authorities capabilities and cultures 3 When we each come to the table with a shared objective we can disrupt and degrade malicious cyber activity As the scope of malicious cyber incidents and the sophistication of our adversaries grow it will take a unified public-private sector strategy to gain the competitive advantage in this environment Our power is in partnerships Strategic collaboration across security and intelligence spheres and across classified and unclassified settings results in increased speed and agility We are preparing for the transition to quantum-resistant cryptography to protect ourselves into the future That protection not only goes into our networks but the weapons platforms and other technology we rely on We have to recognize networked computers are in every facet of our environment and change culture to secure all of them Tools like National Security Memorandum 8 that give directive authorities to improve the cybersecurity of National Security Systems are improvements that enable such action Cybersecurity is national security and we all have an important role to play We need leaders who recognize the threat drive a culture that emphasizes robust security and lean on partnerships Leaders must emphasize a culture of cybersecurity and provide their teams with resources to secure their systems We need cybersecurity at scale Regards Rob Joyce Rob Joyce Director NSA Cybersecurity Find us on social media @NSACyber 4 NSA CYBERSECURITY 2022 YEAR IN REVIEW RESPONDING TO NATIONAL THREATS AND PRIORITIES COUNTERING GLOBAL THREATS While the U S Government relies on NSA’s unique foreign signals intelligence insights to inform key decisions each private and public sector partner builds on that foundation to create a more comprehensive understanding of the threat and what should be done to counter it NSA joined U S partners — the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA U S Cyber Command and the Departments of Justice State and Treasury — as well as international partners — the Australian Cyber Security Centre the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre and Canada’s Communications Security Establishment and Canadian Centre for Cyber Security — to publish a Cybersecurity Advisory to disrupt and degrade a multi-year global ransomware threat that affected hundreds of organizations Each partner also brings their own unique authorities and capabilities to the fight This enhances our collective ability to prevent and eradicate some of the world’s most concerning cyber threats Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps IRGC -Affiliated Cyber Actors were exploiting publicly known vulnerabilities to gain access to networks around the globe The malicious state-sponsored actors then encrypted “ The combined talent of our partners is the greatest competitive advantage we have to confront the increasingly sophisticated threats to our nation Through partnerships we bolster and enable defense and disrupt and degrade adversary activities General Paul M Nakasone Commander U S Cyber Command Director NSA Chief CSS www NSA gov cybersecurity “ NSA and its U S and international partners scale impact against global threats by collaborating on coordinated responses RESPONDING TO NATIONAL THREATS AND PRIORITIES PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSEPH BARILLARI Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-affiliated actors were planning to ransom Boston Children’s Hospital according to the FBI information and extorted data to support ransom operations The actors victimized a broad range of organizations including small businesses government agencies nonprofit programs and educational and religious institutions Their victims also included multiple critical infrastructure sectors including health care transportation services and utility providers On September 14 the international coalition released “Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Affiliated Cyber Actors Exploiting Vulnerabilities for Data Extortion and Disc Encryption for Ransom Operations ” The Cybersecurity Advisory alerted network defenders of the threat and armed them to defend against it The advisory shared the actors’ tactics techniques and procedures TTPs — mapped to the MITRE ATT CK framework — and provided guidance on how to detect and mitigate against the threat 5 Because hundreds of companies organizations and institutions were compromised around the globe the advisory was shared with U S and international victims directly and partners amplified the guidance upon release to prompt net defenders to act On the same day U S partners held the actors and the Iranian government responsible for their malicious behavior and their failure to observe international cyber norms • The Department of Justice unsealed an indictment charging three Iranian nationals with engaging in ransomwarestyle extortion against U S critical infrastructure providers • The Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned 10 actors and two entities • The Department of State Rewards for Justice released a notification offering a reward of up to $10 million for information on three IRGC employees By increasing awareness and helping to secure systems NSA and its partners degraded the malicious activity PHOTO COURTESY OF U S DEPARTMENT OF STATE The State Department offered a reward of up to $10 million for info on three IRGCaffiliated actors Find us social media @NSACyber 6 NSA CYBERSECURITY 2022 YEAR IN REVIEW PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES NSA and its partners released three Cybersecurity Advisories in early 2022 about potential Russian threats to U S critical infrastructure including the energy sector DEFENDING THE HOMELAND AGAINST RUSSIA As Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022 and the U S held Russia accountable intelligence indicated that the Russian government was exploring options for potential cyberattacks against the U S including its critical infrastructure sectors NSA CISA and FBI issued Cybersecurity Advisories in January February and April to heighten awareness of the threat and promote understanding of Russian state-sponsored and cybercriminal tactics techniques and procedures TTPs so that net defenders could strengthen their defenses www NSA gov cybersecurity Through operational collaboration with Defense Industrial Base companies and their service providers NSA’s Cybersecurity Collaboration Center CCC played a leading role in protecting key critical infrastructure sectors The CCC conducted more than 2 000 bidirectional exchanges in the first four months of 2022 sharing NSA’s insights actionable information on Russian cyber TTPs and building a more fulsome intelligence picture with industry’s help Throughout the conflict in Ukraine NSA has provided foreign signals intelligence insights that have aided U S Government leaders NATO and the U S European Command RESPONDING TO NATIONAL THREATS AND PRIORITIES EUCOM It has also provided cryptographic security products to meet unplanned emergent requirements and to support urgent missions It has rapidly deployed more than 150 communications security COMSEC devices to support mission operations during the global crisis EXPOSING CHINA’S MALICIOUS ACTIVITY NSA continues to highlight the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures CVEs and TTPs that People’s Republic of China PRC state-sponsored cyber actors rely on to compromise systems and steal sensitive information In June NSA partnered with FBI and CISA to release the Cybersecurity 7 Advisory “People’s Republic of China StateSponsored Cyber Actors Exploit Network Providers and Devices ” The advisory discusses how PRC actors have established a broad network of compromised infrastructure They’ve compromised major telecommunications companies and network service providers primarily by exploiting publicly known vulnerabilities The details in this advisory make it clear that network devices including small office home office SOHO routers and network attached storage devices can be a security risk and should be secured by patching and disabling unnecessary ports and protocols NSA released a Cybersecurity Advisory that highlighted how People’s Republic of China actors were exploiting network service providers and their devices Find us social media @NSACyber www NSA gov cybersecurity PARTNERING WITH INDUSTRY 9 PARTNERING WITH INDUSTRY NSA’s Cybersecurity Collaboration Center CCC plays a key role in whole-of-government and international efforts to advance cybersecurity NSA brings unique resources to the fight Its foreign signals intelligence SIGINT system and cybersecurity operations across National Security Systems NSS generates unique insights into nation-state intentions and capabilities in cyber At the CCC NSA fuses those insights with those from private-sector partners to deliver inteldriven cybersecurity that protects the nation and U S allies The CCC defends the U S Defense Industrial Base DIB and disrupts the adversary by sharing timely threat intelligence with highimpact partners best positioned to scale detection and mitigation techniques to billions of endpoints In 2022 the CCC nearly tripled its partnerships growing from 110 partners to more than 300 collaborative relationships The CCC’s partners now reach a cumulative estimated 2 billion endpoints and its DIB prime partners In late 2020 NSA opened the Cybersecurity Collaboration Center an unclassified facility outside the NSA-Washington fence line This year the CCC expanded to four new satellite locations Georgia Texas Hawaii and the United Kingdom account for 80 percent of Department of Defense DoD acquisition spending In the past year the CCC also doubled its analytical exchanges with these partners Thanks to more than 10 000 bidirectional collaborations — primarily focused on Russian and People’s Republic of China PRC cyber threats and responding to world events — billions of endpoints have been hardened against nation-state threats For example if NSA shares a nation-state actor’s malware or tactics techniques and procedures TTPs with an internet service cloud provider with a global footprint the provider can develop and deploy signatures to defend against the threat at scale While the CCC’s primary goal is to defend the DIB its efforts cascade protection across all 16 U S critical infrastructure sectors reach businesses and consumers and even protect our allies “ Our partnership with industry goes beyond intelligence sharing It’s better defined as operational collaboration By building trust talking continuously and focusing our efforts on shared priorities we’re achieving incredible outcomes Morgan Adamski NSA Cybersecurity Collaboration Center Chief “ OPERATIONALIZING INTELLIGENCE THROUGH PRIVATE-SECTOR PARTNERS Find us on social media @NSACyber 10 NSA CYBERSECURITY 2022 YEAR IN REVIEW OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS ARE SAYING “NSA’s PDNS and vulnerability scanning are incredibly valuable They are helping us illuminate our supply chain and provide better protection to small companies who need it ” DISCLOSING ZERO-DAY VULNERABILITIES To see how NSA’s partnerships help secure the world look no further than its work to discover and disclose vulnerabilities in core technology products In 2022 the CCC disclosed dozens of zero-day vulnerabilities to vendors ensuring dangerous bugs can be remediated For example the CCC partnered with the United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Center NCSC this year to jointly disclose a critical cryptographic vulnerability in Microsoft Windows The vulnerability could allow attackers to manipulate public certificates that spoof their identity and perform actions such as authentication or code signing In the hands of a capable adversary the flaw could have very potent impacts Thanks to the power of NSA’s industry and international partnerships the vulnerability was quickly disclosed to Microsoft and patched for all In 2022 the CCC disclosed dozens of zero-day vulnerabilities to vendors ensuring dangerous bugs can be remediated www NSA gov cybersecurity While the CCC’s primary goal is to defend the DIB its efforts cascade protection across all 16 U S critical infrastructure sectors reach businesses and consumers and even protect our allies users running supported versions of Windows through automatic updates This was the first joint vulnerability disclosure between NSA and an international partner SCALING DIB DEFENSE To protect sensitive U S Government information combat the PRC’s theft of intellectual property and ensure small-tomedium-size businesses SMBs benefit from strong cyber hygiene the CCC provides NSAmanaged no-cost cybersecurity services to more than 150 enrollees This ensures SMBs don’t have to defend against nation-state threats alone NSA’s suite of cybersecurity services are infused with technical indicators of known malicious activity that are derived from its SIGINT mission Its Protective Domain Name System PDNS service alone is clearing close to 100 million DNS queries daily and has blocked around 400 million malicious PARTNERING WITH INDUSTRY 11 At the Cybersecurity Collaboration Center industry and government experts can collaborate to counter malicious activity It is also critically important to measure success The CCC tracks key performance indicators on a monthly and quarterly basis for quantitative feedback but it also receives qualitative feedback “We get this feedback from both our industry partners and thanks to our global SIGINT system we get feedback directly from our adversaries too ” said Morgan Adamski CCC Chief “So we know that this operational collaboration is making an impact ” domains to date That includes nationstate spear-phishing attempts malware and botnets NSA then shared those insights with its PDNS provider who identified and eradicated nation-state malware on DIB networks The CCC has also used its PDNS analytics which are informed by NSA’s big data analysis expertise to enable more successes NSA analytics have identified domains that are not known to be malicious but the behavior of the DNS call-out is consistent with malware The CCC also offers threat intelligence collaboration services These are underpinned by voluntary sharing agreements and mutual non-disclosure provisions that allow DIB companies to share company-sensitive information with the CCC In turn the CCC Find us on social media @NSACyber NSA CYBERSECURITY 2022 YEAR IN REVIEW 12 can share sensitive threat information relevant to the participating companies This enables sharing tippers and threat reporting enriching public-private understanding of shared threats and creates the ability to benefit from each other’s insights and data pools services are available to any company that has an active DoD contract sub or prime and has access to non-public DoD information To enroll visit cybercenter NSA gov or email DIB_Defense@cyber nsa gov Through its vulnerability scanning and remediation services the CCC also works with willing DIB partners to identify and resolve vulnerabilities prior to their exploitation This enables the CCC to proactively engage with partners on issues before they become compromises The CCC provides tailored reports that help companies prioritize their vulnerability management based on DEVELOPING CONSENSUS-BASED INDUSTRY-DRIVEN STANDARDS • Where they might have assets they didn’t know about • Where they might be vulnerable • How they should then prioritize those vulnerabilities based off of severity and current nation-state targeting NSA consistently receives feedback that this context of “what should I prioritize and when” is really helpful to DIB SMBs To date the CCC has focused on enrolling companies that support critical DoD programs for cryptography weapons and space and nuclear command and control but in 2023 the CCC is focused on scaling these services to thousands of qualifying companies These Standards have traditionally been viewed as an economic tool Recent changes in standards development processes make it clear that they are also a national security tool Standards are critically important because they • Directly underpin national security and the economy by integrating security into products early in their development • Reduce the risk that manufacturers and their customers become victims of exploitation because of insecure or weak technologies • Allow for interoperability between technologies so the U S is not reliant on single market vendors NSA’s Center for Cybersecurity Standards CCSS is directly securing standards for These services are available to any company that has an active DoD contract sub or prime and has access to non-public DoD information OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS ARE SAYING “I applaud NSA’s PDNS efforts initiatives to scale protections to the small businesses in our supply chain are critical and we want more ” www NSA gov cybersecurity PARTNERING WITH INDUSTRY emerging technology NSA plays an important role in international standards development organizations SDOs because it possesses the technical expertise to draft strong standards and a vested interest in securing the technologies that impact national security and defense e g cloud 5G CCSS is focused on authoring informing and driving adoption of standards for telecommunications with a focus on securing the 5G core edge and data in transit cloud and secure internet protocols especially preparing protocols for quantum-resistant cryptography To date CCSS has authored and submitted more than 35 standards for 5G cloud networks and internet protocols This work ensures security is baked in and reduces our 13 adversaries’ ability to steal U S intellectual property Through the Enduring Security Framework and CCSS NSA has joined forces with industry OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS ARE SAYING “Our threat analysis group is focused on stopping APTs from using our platform Our partnership with NSA is paving the way They recently helped us stop a nation-state APT from abusing our platform to target the DIB ” PHOTO COURTESY OF DEFENSE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT AGENCY Defense Industrial Base companies design develop operate and maintain the Department of Defense’s critical systems platforms and technologies required to defend the nation Experts from NSA’s Cybersecurity Collaboration Center work directly with these companies to protect sensitive information Find us on social media @NSACyber 14 NSA CYBERSECURITY 2022 YEAR IN REVIEW OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS ARE SAYING “Information sharing is good but only if it is actionable The CCC gives us actionable information ” PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES NSA’s Center for Cybersecurity Standards has submitted more than 35 standards for 5G cloud and internet protocols this year to reinvigorate U S and allied investment in Standards Development Organizations SDOs This ensures the long-term security of critical technologies The group will assess technical and geopolitical threats to international SDOs and develop strategies to counter these threats NSA and its U S Government industry and international partners increase awareness about the threats to standards and strategize to combat these threats The greatest way to combat foreign adversarial influence in international SDOs is for like-minded nations — those that share the same values of security privacy and global market competition — to contribute technically sound standards proposals Commercial products are increasingly relied on to secure National Security Systems Through the National Information Assurance Program NIAP the CCC certified 74 commercial components for protecting NSS Additionally NIAP published nine Protection www NSA gov cybersecurity Profiles to raise security in those products Protection Profiles are vendor-agnostic guidelines that raise security in commercial products by defining minimum security and testing requirements NIAP continued to strengthen the global IT security posture through ongoing partnerships with 30 nations within the Common Criteria Recognition Arrangement CCRA The CCRA guarantees consistent evaluations between members and mutual recognition to allow vendors to test once and then sell in multiple countries It has positioned the United States as a leader within the global community through further adoption of its standards and by certifying more products than any other nation within the CCRA NIAP volunteered to take a leadership position in the CCRA by chairing the CCRA Management Committee through the end of 2023 to include leading integration with the European Union EU Cybersecurity Act NSA DIB CYBERSECURITY SERVICE OFFERINGS ry 7 DRIVE DOWN RISK PROTECT DOD INFORMATION To better protect sensitive information on Defense Industrial Base DIB networks NSA offers the following no-cost cybersecurity services to companies with active DoD contracts and access to controlled information p TH id 5 Ca ET ha He ad 2 alin I i t Ria B So i ie 3 Bue of 1 % ARR THREAT INTELLIGENCE GOVSHIELD VULNERABILITY Scalable GovShield PONS Service from Akamai Realime DNS malicious query interdiction Stara a vl Leverages commercial and Tailored distribution of open-source information to NSA cybersecurity products €XP0Se vulnerabilies Timely and prioritized Automated aggregation sharing of indicators of and reporting to compromise and companies PROTECTIVE DNS intelligence with NSA analytics and indicators of compromise SCANNING «Identifies probable exploitation routes and engages before compromise COLLABORATION mitigations Collaboration with NSA analysts on findings For more information on how to enroll in these ER CEE SYR CE EERIE LANNY PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES By clearly articulating the threats NSA’s reports help net defenders prioritize actions that degrade the malicious actors’ capabilities and secure critical systems ARMING NET DEFENDERS WITH GUIDANCE 17 ARMING NET DEFENDERS WITH GUIDANCE COLLABORATIVE REPORTS BUILD FULLER PICTURE NSA’s public reports are adorned with more agency seals than ever before which speaks to the increased collaboration between U S and international partners around critical cybersecurity issues Whether it is mitigating against a significant vulnerability or defending against specific adversary and cybercriminal threats U S and international agencies are capitalizing on opportunities to build a more comprehensive threat understanding and present top defensive actions with a coordinated voice NSA collaborated with international partners on nearly two-thirds of its public cybersecurity releases from the past year Throughout 2022 NSA focused on producing guidance that is unique timely and actionable It released its first of three Cybersecurity Advisories about Russian threats to U S critical infrastructure more than a month before Russia invaded Ukraine NSA also These Cybersecurity Advisories attribute activity to specific nation-state and cybercriminal groups By clearly articulating the threats the reports helped net defenders prioritize actions that degrade the malicious actors’ capabilities and secure critical systems This makes it more difficult and more costly for these actors to compromise U S and allied networks NSA also highlighted broader threats such as ransomware trends top exploited vulnerabilities and how malicious actors take advantage of weak security controls NSA’s technical experts aren’t afraid to get in the weeds They published lengthy technical reports on securing PowerShell scripting network infrastructure guidance protecting satellite communications and even microelectronics hardware assurance best practices The number of new reported vulnerabilities increases each year making it hard for net defenders to prioritize patching and remediation efforts Our publications help cut through the noise We alert defenders to the highest priority cyber threats and provide actionable recommendations for mitigation Neal Ziring NSA Cybersecurity Technical Director “ “ highlighted new tactics techniques and procedures TTPs from People’s Republic of China and Iranian state-sponsored actors Find us on social media @NSACyber Sh B roy pm % — LI i Ye i f HE Nd — Nee IN o Ree te Re 0 SER Lo — ee and shows them how to protect their systems by detecting and mitigating malicious activity NSA collaborates with U S and allied government partners as well as industry to share a comprehensive understanding of the malicious activity coming from nation-state cyber actors and cybercriminals NSA and its partners also work together to recommend proven defensive measures that can prevent and even eradicate cyber threats Visit NSA gov cybersecurity to review NSA's cybersecurity S Receive the latest alerts by following @NSACyber on Twitter advisories and technical guidance DEFENDING OUR MOST CRITICAL NETWORKS 19 DEFENDING OUR MOST CRITICAL NETWORKS PRESIDENTIAL MEMO EXPANDS NSA’S AUTHORITY TO PROTECT KEY SYSTEMS In January President Joe Biden signed the “Memorandum on Improving the Cybersecurity of National Security Department of Defense and Intelligence Community Systems ” Better known as National Security Memo-8 NSM-8 the memo set cybersecurity requirements for protecting some of the nation’s most sensitive networks — National Security Systems NSS — that meet or exceed the requirements previously set in Executive Order E O 14028 “Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity ” NSM-8 provided the NSA Director as the National Manager for NSS with new authorities that increased NSA’s cybersecurity visibility into networks that contain classified information or are otherwise critical to military and intelligence activities across the U S Government It also positioned NSA to set priorities — such as requiring that NSS owners mitigate against a vulnerability being exploited by our adversaries — and direction — such as requiring that owners employ proven cybersecurity solutions like multifactor authentication This increased responsibility led NSA to form even closer relationships with the more than 50 departments and agencies across the U S Government that own or operate NSS NSA established foundational policies procedures and workflows to improve the cybersecurity posture of critical U S Government systems created inventories and databases to capture data and supported U S Government efforts to update the Federal Acquisition Regulation Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement and other cyber-related directives Since the memo was signed NSA has released nearly two dozen directives and memoranda leveraging the new authorities to improve the cybersecurity of NSS on topics such as • The process for identifying and inventorying critical NSS and non-compliant cryptography • The requirements for implementing multifactor authentication and data encryption • Mitigations for identified threats to or vulnerabilities within crossdomain solutions VMware and Atlassian Confluence “ National Security Memo-8 is a game-changer because it expanded NSA’s authorities to protect National Security Systems This gives us better cybersecurity oversight allows us to mitigate more vulnerabilities and requires that proven cybersecurity solutions be implemented “ Rob Joyce NSA Cybersecurity Director Find us on social media @NSACyber 20 NSA CYBERSECURITY 2022 YEAR IN REVIEW Through partnerships with other federal agencies increased visibility within the national security community and increased authorities to mandate vulnerability remediation NSA is drastically increasing the security of critical U S Government systems — protecting sensitive military and intelligence data from our adversaries RAISING THE BAR ON CROSS- DOMAIN SOLUTIONS Cross-domain solutions allow information to be shared across international government agency and classification boundaries through controlled interfaces The U S Government relies on NSA’s National CrossDomain Strategy Management Office for cross-domain solution capabilities and mission needs NSA set the “Raise the Bar” strategy for cross-domain solutions that protect classified information It focuses on improving crossdomain solution security and capabilities for NSS in the stages of design development assessment and implementation NSA significantly accelerated Raise the Bar compliance in 2022 while working closely with the vendor community on the development of remote management RMAN and remote monitoring RMON capabilities Several of these products have entered the lab-based security assessment process for projected availability to the community in 2023 This increased capability will continue to improve the security posture of the greater NSS through better management and monitoring www NSA gov cybersecurity ADVOCATING FOR ZERO TRUST CLOUD Traditional cybersecurity centered on a perimeter-defense model is ineffective against malicious cyber actors Once inside the network the actors can move laterally escalate privileges and compromise the mission The only way to protect critical resources is through a data-centric model Zero trust is a cybersecurity strategy and framework that embeds security throughout the architecture for the purpose of preventing detecting and responding to data breaches This security model eliminates the idea of trusted or untrusted networks devices personas or processes and instead constantly interrogates the trust relationships formed by entities on the network and denies access by default only allowing access by an approved user and device To demonstrate the efficacy of zero trust architectures in a government environment and to enable NSA to publish well-informed guidance to the community NSA built the Native Zero Trust Cloud NZTC environment — a private cloud that implements zero trust principles at the advanced level of the Department of Defense DoD Maturity Model NSA’s zero trust experts also partnered with the DoD CIO Defense Information Systems Agency DISA Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA and subject matter experts from across the U S Government and industry to provide guidance to national-level strategies and roadmaps and publish reference architectures for successful implementation These documents will be used by DoD commands military services agencies and mission owners as guides DEFENDING OUR MOST CRITICAL NETWORKS 21 NSA is drastically increasing the security of critical U S Government systems — protecting sensitive military and intelligence data from our adversaries PHOTO COURTESY OF LANCE CPL GAVIN UMBOH U S MARINE to help them modernize and harden their mission infrastructures The U S Government is increasingly moving to cloud computing environments Because adversaries often target the cloud NSA has a strategy to protect NSS the Defense Industrial Base and other critical infrastructure sectors in cloud hybrid cloud and multi-cloud environments The agency is collaborating with industry academia and U S and allied government partners to improve the hardening of clouds detection of threats and the development of actionable scalable mitigations RED BLUE HUNT TEAMS ASSESS CYBERSECURITY NSA cybersecurity assessment teams conduct operations with U S Government and Defense Industrial Base partners to identify critical cyber vulnerabilities on their networks and provide mitigation strategies This helps protect the underlying information technology across multiple domains from cyber adversaries NSA’s red blue and hunt teams completed 27 assessments this past year against critical networks and platforms across the U S Government They identified vulnerabilities on partner networks and significantly improved the security posture of our critical networks around the globe and our strategic weapons and space platforms In 2022 NSA evolved its model to conduct integrated red blue and hunt assessments After a cleared defense contractor was compromised NSA tested the updated model and discovered new adversary tactics which empowered the contractor to prevent and eradicate these new threats NSA shared the new threat intelligence with its industry partners Find us on social media @NSACyber NSA delivered 140 000 tamper-indicating products globally in 2022 These technologies prevent or detect physical exploitation of cryptographic equipment and classified material during shipping or deployment around the world PHOTO COURTESY OF U S ARMY STAFF SARGENT CHRISTOPHER STEWART 140 000 CREATING CRYPTOGRAPHY TO PROTECT DATA COMMUNICATIONS 23 CREATING CRYPTOGRAPHY TO PROTECT DATA COMMUNICATIONS PROTECTING OUR NATION’S MOST CRITICAL SECRETS Through its keys codes and cryptography mission NSA secures millions of devices around the world and manages the infrastructure to key those devices That includes producing and distributing the keys codes and cryptographic materials that the U S Government and military use to secure weapons satellites communications and many other systems in which national security critically relies On the battlefield this helps warfighters have confidence in their operational picture differentiate between friend and foe and securely conduct command and control “If you don’t want the adversary to know about it control it or deny your use of it then “ “ Our goal is to implement quantumresistant cryptography for all National Security Systems by 2033 That may sound like it’s a long way off but modernization at scale takes time We have to plan now Troy Lange Chief NSA Encryption Production and Solutions encryption is your last line of defense ” said Troy Lange Chief NSA Encryption Production and Solutions NSA works with its government partners to ensure key management functions networks systems and communications devices used by the Department of Defense DoD are secure It also delivers communications security best practices that ensure secure handling of cryptographic material used with these systems and devices In 2022 NSA supported 61 unique customers on critical operations such as GPS key for U S Space Command NSA also provided support to combatant commands and government agencies such as U S Strategic Command U S Central Command the Defense Information Systems Agency the Department of Energy the White House Communications Agency and many more MOVING TO QUANTUM-RESISTANT CRYPTOGRAPHY A cryptanalytically relevant quantum computer CRQC — once achieved — has the potential to break cryptographic systems that secure the internet and information systems worldwide today The best defense against this looming technological threat is quantumresistant cryptography President Joe Biden signed “Promoting United States Leadership in Quantum Computing While Mitigating Risks to Vulnerable Cryptographic Systems” — also known as National Security Memo 10 Find us on social media @NSACyber 24 NSA CYBERSECURITY 2022 YEAR IN REVIEW NSM-10 — in May to direct U S Government agencies to migrate vulnerable cryptographic systems to quantum-resistant cryptography as part of a multi-year transition Office of the Director of National Intelligence Science and Technology ODNI S T office the DoD and external standards organizations to take on the quantum computing threat As the National Manager for National Security Systems NSS the NSA Director is responsible for overseeing this transition to quantum-resistant crypto across the 50-plus government departments and agencies that use NSS NIST announced its quantum-resistant algorithm selections for standardization in July paving the way for NSA to provide its recommendations for securing NSS NSA cryptographers partnered closely with NIST throughout its selection process analyzing the candidates against NSS cybersecurity requirements Because the quantum computing threat is a shared cybersecurity challenge for government and private partners and even the public forming strategic and tactical partnerships has been key NSA collaborated with the National Institute of Standards and Technology NIST — the U S government lead for commercial algorithm approval — as well as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA the PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES In September NSA released its Commercial National Security Algorithm Suite 2 0 CNSA Suite 2 0 through a Cybersecurity Advisory fulfilling a key responsibility under NSM-10 The publication notified NSS owners operators and vendors of the future requirements for quantum-resistant algorithms for use in all NSS NSA is urging industry to plan now to adopt its quantum-resistant algorithm suite for NSS and NIST’s cryptographic standards into their systems Modernization at this scale takes time and the entire community must start resourcing now for an orderly transition Industry should plan for sufficient storage bandwidth and power in their products to allow a drop-in of the algorithms and parameters once they are standardized MORE ABOUT CNSA 2 0 Cryptography helps secure critical U S military communications www NSA gov cybersecurity The Cybersecurity Advisory specifies the conventions for using the NSA’s CNSA Suite algorithms in Internet Protocol Security IPsec Developers and operators should visit NSA gov cybersecurity to learn more CREATING CRYPTOGRAPHY TO PROTECT DATA COMMUNICATIONS 25 PHOTO COURTESY OF SGT ANTHONY ORTIZ 2ND MARINE LOGISTICS GROUP NSA certified the Secure Cyber Module SCM which provides cryptographic capabilities to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal EOD robots in advanced EOD and man-transportable robotic systems The crypto embedded within the SCM provides confidentiality services to allow secure remote operation of EOD robots Once industry submits their quantumresistant technologies through NSA and National Information Assurance Partnership NIAP validation programs their products will become available and the U S Government will then start the acquisition process to get products into national security networks ensuring that security requirements tailored for each solution were met Many of these products are upgrades to strengthen the security of existing devices such as multichannel radios tactical receivers data links and the GPS IIIF satellites The certified products secure intelligence sharing info for combat threat awareness tactical data and voice as well as space and weapons systems MODERNIZING CRYPTOGRAPHY The transition to quantum-resistant cryptography is just one example of how NSA is staying one step ahead of our nation’s adversaries to protect our most sensitive data NSA is continually modernizing its cybersecurity solutions to be agile threat adaptive and scalable across multi-domain operations A few 2022 modernization successes include • NSA delivered another set of updated cryptographic devices that implement NSA-approved government off-theshelf quantum-resistant algorithms to protect NSS from potential adversarial quantum computing attacks The initial set was delivered in 2021 While a CRQC remains theoretical the development and use of one could make key portions of the U S cryptographic inventory obsolete • NSA certified 21 high assurance cryptographic solutions in 2022 after • NSA collaborated with partners to complete an initial assessment of 2022 NIST quantum-resistant cryptography selections in support of tactical use cases The preliminary results indicate the selections will in general meet or exceed performance thresholds for use on tactical devices These results improve NSA’s advisement to tactical customers program offices and vendors on cryptographic implementation efforts Faster implementation will accelerate adoption of quantumresistant cryptography and mitigate quantum cryptanalytic threats Find us on social media @NSACyber 26 NSA CYBERSECURITY 2022 YEAR IN REVIEW PROTECTING THE WARFIGHTER AND SUPPORTING THE COMBATANT COMMANDS As a combat support agency under the Department of Defense DoD NSA supports U S military service members through its primary missions foreign signals intelligence and cybersecurity NSA’s foreign signals intelligence experts provide intelligence support to military operations while its cybersecurity experts provide products and services that ensure military communications and data remain secure NSA’s keys codes and cryptography work secures everything from tactical radios on the warfighter to their critical weapons systems This protects warfighters from U S adversaries and gives them an advantage on the battlefield Interoperability is crucial for the U S military when conducting joint operations and exercises NSA and standards organizations set common protocols and standards so that the U S military can securely share information with U S allies NATO and coalition forces around the world NSA represents the U S in NATO’s information assurance and cyber defense capability panel strengthening relationships with partner nations and focusing on driving platform and equipment modernization to aid interoperable missions As the U S continues modernizing cryptography NSA www NSA gov cybersecurity is sharing advanced cryptographic logic with capable NATO partners to help modernize the NATO enterprise and alliance Likewise the panel is developing technical guidance and cybersecurity information sharing across NATO to secure critical networks from advanced cyber threats NSA is developing a key management strategy for secure distribution from cryptographic key generation to consumption by an end cryptographic unit or system that will include a modern approach of over-thenetwork keying “ SECURING TECHNOLOGIES AND PROMOTING INTEROPERABILITY As our warfighters engage against sophisticated adversaries in competition and conflict confidence in the security of their command and control and weapon systems is an operational imperative Delivering products and services to deny and deter the adversary while assuring security and creating advantage for the Joint Force capabilities is our raison d’etre Brigadier General Lorna Mahlock NSA Cybersecurity Deputy Director for Combat Support “ NSA’s cybersecurity experts provide products and services that ensure military communications and data remain secure PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES 28 NSA CYBERSECURITY 2022 YEAR IN REVIEW PHOTO COURTESY OF CPL MOISES RODRIGUEZ U S MARINE CORPS Soldiers in the field rely on NSA for secure communications NSA also took initial steps to transition NATO’s legacy electronic key delivery system to a modern and secure key management infrastructure For non-NATO nations NSA installed a software-based black key delivery solution in four combatant commands replacing an unsupportable legacy system The agency is also building a cryptographic roadmap for each U S combatant command coalition partner NSA attended Command and Control Interoperability Board meetings between U S warfighting commands and their partners to identify critical missions employing obsolete cryptography and direct Mission-Driven Modernization a three-phased approach that baselines the partners’ cryptographic posture maps the crypto to specific weapon platforms and maps the platforms to mission support This effort pinpoints where resources must be committed to ensure partners are secure against advanced cyber threats across the warfighting domains and fully interoperable with U S and allied forces www NSA gov cybersecurity EVALUATING WEAPONS AND SPACE CYBERSECURITY NSA continued performing critical cybersecurity evaluations on some of the nation’s most important weapons and space systems across all warfighting domains to ensure they aren’t vulnerable to cyber adversaries Through its Department of Defense DoD Strategic Cybersecurity Program SCP Program Management Office NSA worked in concert with DoD leaders and the U S military services to evaluate the systems and issue plans for mitigating vulnerabilities modernizing cryptography and recommendations for monitoring NSA also continued its efforts to modernize encryption across the U S combatant commands By working with U S Cyber Command and Joint Force HeadquartersDepartment of Defense Information Networks JFHQ-DODIN NSA is reducing the chance that U S adversaries can access warfighter communications and sensitive data PROTECTING THE WARFIGHTER AND SUPPORTING THE COMBATANT COMMANDS 29 NEXT-GENERATION NUCLEAR COMMAND CONTROL AND COMMUNICATIONS NC3 CYBERSECURITY data protection of transport and protection of interfaces — that will help secure and guide the development of the nation’s most critical networks NSA helps secure communication between senior leaders and ensure command and control of strategic forces by preventing and eradicating cyber threats to U S nuclear command and control systems NCCS and the National Leadership Command Capability NLCC NSA also completed an effort to provide NC3 cybersecurity data ontologies to the NEC As part of a larger NC3 Enterprise data ontology effort these cybersecurity ontologies will enable effective and efficient information sharing consistent responses to cyber events in the Next Generation NC3 enterprise and enable interoperability of solutions developed by different vendors Last year NSA created a nuclear command control and communications NC3 cybersecurity strategy and framework for the U S Strategic Command USSTRATCOM NC3 Enterprise Center NEC USSTRATCOM deters strategic attack and employs forces as directed to guarantee the security of the U S and its allies In 2022 NSA created a framework for securing the next-generation of NC3 networks It focuses on three core areas — protection of SECURING NSS WITH COMMERCIAL SOLUTIONS NSA’s Commercial Solutions for Classified CSfC program enables commercial technologies and products to be composed in layered solutions to protect classified information CSfC Capability Packages protect National Security Systems NSS by offering a Find us on social media @NSACyber PHOTO COURTESY OF UNITED STATES STRATEGIC COMMAND NSA works closely with U S Strategic Command to secure U S nuclear command and control systems 30 NSA CYBERSECURITY 2022 YEAR IN REVIEW PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES The annual CSfC Conference brings together industry vendors trusted integrators and government organizations to discuss changes to Capability Packages solution registration CSfC component listing the CSfC Trusted Integrator program and more robust systems approach for U S military services combatant commands the Defense Information Systems Agency DISA FBI and other customers It allows them to quickly configure and deploy secure cybersecurity solutions using NSA’s preapproved systems-level designs and commercially available components to meet a wide range of mission use cases This includes both within and between secure facilities as well as remote access to support telework and mission outside of normal workspaces In 2022 CSfC continued to improve and update its publicly available Capability Packages which guide customers toward implementing their own solutions The Wireless Local Area Network WLAN Capability Package for example provides customers with enhanced security guidance and protections for operating campus wireless solutions Three new revisions to CSfC Annexes were published improving the requirements for key management symmetric key management and the enterprise infrastructure for CSfC www NSA gov cybersecurity Visit NSA gov cybersecurity to learn how you can register a CSfC solution solutions These updated Annexes will provide quantum-resistant encryption and more efficient infrastructure for all CSfC solutions NSA also provides additional assurance of fielded solutions For example the CSfC program conducted an on-site assessment of a customer’s CSfC registration which compares the registered solution with what was actually fielded by the implementing organization NSA ensured that configurations monitoring and administration were in line with CSfC Capability Package requirements This provides an opportunity for mutual technology enrichment and sharing while capturing opportunities to improve the security and clarity of the requirements NSA plans to do more of these assessments in 2023 RESEARCHING CYBERSECURITY SOLUTIONS 31 RESEARCHING CYBERSECURITY SOLUTIONS As the U S Government’s premier cybersecurity research and development center NSA’s Laboratory for Advanced Cybersecurity Research delivers tools and technology advancements that protect and secure the nation’s cyber ecosystem from National Security Systems to everyday devices For example NSA researchers developed Security-Enhanced Linux SELinux which became the foundation for the SecurityEnhanced Android operating system used by billions of smartphones worldwide NSA researchers achieve these outcomes by staying at the forefront of emerging “ “ SECURING AMERICA’S INFORMATION SYSTEMS OF TOMORROW To stay one step ahead of our adversaries we must continue to learn about emerging technologies and deliver findings and new tools that protect our sensitive data and give our nation an advantage Gilbert Herrera NSA Research Director NSA Research was behind Security-Enhanced Android which is now used in billions of smartphones PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES Find us on social media @NSACyber 32 NSA CYBERSECURITY 2022 YEAR IN REVIEW industry to address top cybersecurity mission challenges such as the 2022 International Conference on Machine Learning ICML • NSA researchers are exploring ways to incorporate tapered glass optical fibers into new technologies to maintain effectiveness at extreme temperatures This scalable solution allows compatibility in retrieving data from superconducting computers technologies — such as artificial intelligence and machine learning — and adapting principles to the cybersecurity domain through partnerships with universities federally funded research labs and the private sector These collaborations are revolutionizing NSA’s collective ability to triage voluminous amounts of data into actionable and priority events of concern Other recent cybersecurity research advances include • Enhanced security of next-generation technologies poised to transform our warfighting capabilities such as 5G through the adoption of standards and industry best practices • Advanced software-analysis tools and guidance to ensure the cybersecurity community can defend software and hardware development from sophisticated cyberattacks • Hosted premier forums bringing together the best in government and www NSA gov cybersecurity Sponsored NSA’s Science of Security SoS Program to encourage foundational cybersecurity research at academic institutions promote rigorous research competitions and inspire students to seek out careers supporting the nation’s cybersecurity workforce NSA served as a Special Award Sponsor at the 2022 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair ISEF in Atlanta reviewing over 1 800 project submissions for awards in the categories of Cybersecurity Principles of Security and Privacy Mathematics and Material Science USING MATH TO FIND THE ANSWERS NSA performs mathematics research analysis and design of cryptographic algorithms that underpin the cybersecurity of high-assurance cryptographic solutions that protect nuclear command and control systems space and weapons systems U S Intelligence Community IC networks Department of Defense networks and NSA’s Key Management Infrastructure In 2022 NSA’s math researchers designed a new authenticated encryption algorithm for use in NSA’s forthcoming high-speed encryption products The team’s solution is simple enough to run at incredibly high speeds without causing the encryptors to overheat while simultaneously limiting their use of power In addition it provides protection against attacks that could result from the high volume of encrypted data Logic components for more energy-efficient operations in high-performance computing 34 NSA CYBERSECURITY 2022 YEAR IN REVIEW DEVELOPING THE CURRENT AND NEXT GENERATION OF CYBER EXPERTS SPOTLIGHTING AND RECRUITING WOMEN IN CYBERSECURITY Women comprise about 25 percent of the global cybersecurity workforce according to a 2022 study by Cybersecurity Ventures NSA is working with academic industry and government partners to encourage more women to pursue careers in cybersecurity NSA’s Cybersecurity Collaboration Center CCC — where the workforce is more than 50 percent women — is leading the charge For the past two years the CCC has sponsored and participated in the Women in Cybersecurity WiCyS Conference Participants have showcased NSA’s cybersecurity mission and how diversity has helped NSA solve difficult problems The CCC also is helping to recruit the next generation of cyber experts In August “ “ By prioritizing diversity and investing in cybersecurity education from kindergarten through college we are fostering the talent we need to tackle the difficult challenges of today and tomorrow Dave Luber NSA Cybersecurity Deputy Director www NSA gov cybersecurity General Paul M Nakasone Commander U S Cyber Command Director NSA Chief CSS partnered with the CCC to host a weeklong session for a group of female college students interested in STEM careers As part of “Women Immersed In NSA Cybersecurity ” or WIN-Cyber the students learned about NSA’s different cybersecurity focuses and had the opportunity to see themselves at NSA Since March the CCC has publicly released nine “Look Around Women in Cybersecurity” videos that highlight women excelling in cybersecurity careers across the Intelligence Community This not only highlights those already in the field but encourages more women to join NSA remains committed to ensuring all people see themselves in cyber LOOK AROUND Visit NSA’s YouTube channel to watch the series “Look Around Women in Cybersecurity ” Hosted by CCC Chief Morgan Adamski the short videos profile female cybersecurity leaders across the Intelligence Community Morgan Adamski Cybersecurity Collaboration Center Chief speaks to students at the “Women Immersed in NSA Cybersecurity” event NSA remains committed to ensuring all people see themselves in cyber and to fostering a diverse workforce that is reflective of the global community 36 NSA CYBERSECURITY 2022 YEAR IN REVIEW and to fostering a diverse workforce that is reflective of the global community PROMOTING DIVERSITY NSA Cybersecurity Director Rob Joyce is a strong proponent for increasing diversity in the cybersecurity field In February he participated in a roundtable discussion with members of the #ShareTheMicInCyber movement which aims to address issues stemming from systemic racism in cybersecurity They discussed diversity and inclusion at NSA and some of the biggest cybersecurity challenges his teams face each day He also sponsored and participated in a visit with members of Black Girls in Cyber nonprofit who discussed their careers and their efforts to promote diversity in cybersecurity EQUIPPING OUR SERVICE MEMBERS Over 260 cadets and midshipmen from the U S service academies and the U S senior military colleges participated in the 2022 virtual NSA Cyber Exercise NCX The threeday event advances cybersecurity skills by developing and testing the talent teamwork planning communication and decisionmaking skills of future military leaders and cybersecurity professionals Throughout the final cyber combat exercise teams solved tasks and challenges while simultaneously offensively attacking and defending against NSA and Georgia Tech leadership pose with the winners of the 2021 Codebreaker Challenge during a ceremony in Atlanta THE NSA CODEBREAKER CHALLENGE Each year students attending U S -based academic institutions are given the chance to sharpen their skills and gain experience in mission-centric scenarios similar to what the NSA workforce faces daily Through December 31 students are taking on a ransomware attack challenge that gradually increases in complexity and tests their investigative skills They must discover the tools and techniques used in the attack unravel and expose a ransomware-as-a-service ring and recover the critical files to save the day Initially launched in 2013 with just five participating schools more than 5 400 students from 631 schools participated in the 2021 challenge Colleges and universities have even incorporated the challenge into their curriculum promoting intercampus engagement and strengthening U S cybersecurity education nationwide www NSA gov cybersecurity DEVELOPING THE CURRENT AND NEXT GENERATION OF CYBER EXPERTS 37 GENCYBER NSA and the National Science Foundation fund camps and programs for students and teachers that increase awareness of K-12 educational cybersecurity content and cybersecurity postsecondary and career opportunities In 2022 74 schools across 37 states and the District of Columbia hosted student teacher and combination programs as well as outreach capacity building activities To account for COVID-19 GenCyber provided hybrid virtual and in-person options other teams The U S Air Force was awarded the 2022 NCX trophy Along with hosting the annual exercise NSA also invites our nation’s future military leaders for a hands-on tour at NSA Nearly 150 cadets midshipmen and students from across the U S service academies Army Reserve Officers Training Corps ROTC and senior military colleges participated in the NSA Experiential Tour NET The offering educates service members about NSA’s signals intelligence and cybersecurity missions so that they can apply this knowledge as they assume future military leadership roles in the extended cryptologic enterprise In 2022 the NET assigned ROTC cadets to the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab’s CIRCUIT program where they piloted an unclassified critical thinking approach to address unique intelligence problems throughout the Intelligence Community EMPOWERING STUDENTS AND TEACHERS NSA plays an important part in promoting cybersecurity careers and in developing professionals fit to take on an increasingly challenging cyber landscape NSA’s National Cryptologic University runs the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity NCAE-C program which works with community colleges colleges and universities interested in advancing the study of cybersecurity The program • Establishes standards for cybersecurity curriculum and academic excellence • Develops competency among students and faculty • Values community outreach and leadership in professional development • Integrates cybersecurity practice within the institution across academic disciplines • Pursues solutions to cybersecurity education challenges Nearly 400 schools have received the coveted NCAE-C designation in the areas of cyber defense research and operations NSA has also validated nearly 500 programs of study The Candidates Program boosted designations in 2022 by hosting workshops seminars and mentoring sessions with academic officials pursuing the NCAE-C designation for their schools Application acceptance rates have risen 50 percent as a result of the program Find us on social media @NSACyber