Fact Friday #3

I’ll address FAQs Part 3:

Q. Am I required to contain the cables being protected by Interceptor inside a hardened carrier system (i.e. rigid metallic conduit, EMT or commercial raceway)? A: It depends on the organization. Air Force updated its PDS policy in 2009 to permit flexible interlocking armored optical cables monitored by Interceptor as a PDS (up to TS-CONUS, Secret-OCONUS). Army and Navy will consider the same solution on a project-by-project basis. This allows cables to be distributed in existing conveyance (wire basket, ladder rack) or suspended from D-rings, J-Hooks, etc., resulting in tremendous cost savings and construction complexity reduction. For non-armored cables, Interceptor permits at a minimum the installation of the conduit above the ceiling or below the floor since the requirement for periodic visual inspections is eliminated when an alarmed carrier PDS is used. The benefits are still significant: more reliable inspection of the PDS (performed by the Interceptor 24/7), and much better facility aesthetics.

Q. What types of management or software tools are required to manage the Interceptor? A: The Interceptor can be locally managed by serial console, and remotely managed by Telnet or Secure Shell (SSH). The INTERCEPTOR can be accessed via terminal programs such as HyperTerminal or TeraTerm.

Q. Doesn’t the requirement to respond to alarms create an additional need for manpower? A: Since Interceptor eliminates the requirements to perform daily visual inspections of the PDS, the resources formerly used to conduct that task are no longer needed. A key thing to remember is that Interceptor prompts you when to conduct an inspection versus conducting them day-in-and-day-out whether a threat to the network exists or not. Therefore the use of Interceptor actually reduces the manpower necessary to secure a network.

Q. Who typically monitors the Interceptor and how do they receive the alarms generated? A: Monitoring responsibility is established on an organization-by-organization basis. Typically it is performed by Secu¬rity/Military Police, IT Help Desks or Network Operations & Security Centers (NOSCs). If Security/Military Police forces are used, then the Interceptor is usually integrated via dry contact interfaces into the existing building security system, which those forces routinely monitor. If monitored by IT departments or NOSCs, then the alarms are usually received via SNMP traps.

Q. Which organizations have deployed Interceptor? A: As of this printing Interceptor has been deployed by the US Air Force, US Army, US Coast Guard, US Marine Corps, CENTCOM, Department of Homeland Security, Defense Intelligence Agency, Department of Justice, DoD Department of Inspector General, Naval Surface Weapons Center, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, National Reconnaissance Office, SPAWAR, STRATCOM, The Pentagon, numerous large and small systems integrators, major defense contractors.

If you have specific questions about Interceptor or alarmed carrier PDS, email me at Amanda@networkintegritysystems.com.