NSA Cybersecurity Collaboration: No-Cost Services Available to DoD Contractors

Department of Defense (DoD) contractors and subcontractors work with sensitive government information that makes them frequent targets of malicious agents looking to gain access to sensitive government data. The fact is that once an organization signs a contract with the DoD, they become extremely vulnerable to cyberattacks unless they take the proper steps to boost their security posture. The good news is that you do not have to defend yourself against these cyber threats alone, as the National Security Agency (NSA) recently launched its Cybersecurity Collaboration Center (CCC) to help DoD contractors, and private companies with access to non-public DoD information, reduce their risk of network compromise and protect sensitive unclassified information.

These NSA cybersecurity collaboration services are offered free of charge, giving organizations of all sizes access to the NSA’s extensive threat intelligence knowledge and advanced cybersecurity capabilities regardless of their resources. Through open, collaborative partnerships, the CCC is helping to protect the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) against common nation-state exploitation tactics. In this blog, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at the no-cost cybersecurity services being offered to DoD contractors by the NSA, and how they could benefit your organization.

What Cybersecurity Collaboration Features Are Being Offered by the NSA?

Through the CCC, the NSA is sharing its extensive knowledge and cybersecurity capabilities free of charge to any eligible organization regardless of size, resources, or previous NSA ties. The cybersecurity collaboration features currently being offered to eligible organizations include:

Protective Domain Name System (PDNS)

The NSA’s Protective Domain Name System is a filter that blocks users from connecting to suspicious or malicious domains. This can help protect DoD information by thwarting nation-state-sponsored phishing, malware, botnets, and ransomware attacks. The NSA’s PDNS program is provided through Akamai’s GovShield and powered by continuously evolving governmental domain blocklists. To date, this program has already blocked over 1 billion suspicious or malicious domains, helping keep sensitive government data safe.

Attack Surface Management

The Cybersecurity Collaboration Center’s attack surface management service helps organizations find and fix issues before they lead to data breaches by identifying vulnerabilities in their internet-facing assets. The NSA uses its unique insights to then provide organizations with tailored remediation guidance prioritized by severity and exploit potential, helping defense contractors find and fix vulnerabilities before malicious agents can exploit them.

Threat Intelligence Collaboration

This service allows DoD contractors to forge a dynamic partnership with the NSA that gives them access to confidential, DoD-specific threat intelligence while also allowing them to engage in the materials being shared. Through intensive collaboration between the NSA and DoD contractors, the DIB can stay one step ahead of the adversary, ensuring national security. In fact, this program has already helped illuminate, expose, and remediate a wide range of active nation-state-sponsored exploitation attempts.

Continuous Autonomous Penetration Testing

As you likely already know, penetration testing is a critical security exercise that organizations need to perform regularly to help identify vulnerabilities that could lead to data breaches. This is a vital step in preventing sensitive government data from falling into the wrong hands. To ensure your penetration testing is as effective as possible, the NSA offers Continuous Autonomous Penetration Testing (CAPT) that leverages AI to run rapid, machine-driven penetration tests against internal networks. This platform makes it easy for small businesses to conduct their in-house penetration testing at no cost even if they have no prior experience. This service can be used to not only help organizations find security vulnerabilities, but it can also be used to provide proof of effective remediation through repeat tests.

The Benefits of NSA Cybersecurity Collaboration

As a DoD contractor, you have an obligation to do everything within your power to secure sensitive unclassified government data. While this can often seem like an overwhelming prospect, the NSA’s cybersecurity collaboration services can give you the resources to achieve CMMC compliance and secure your sensitive data. Here’s a look at just a few of the benefits NSA cybersecurity collaboration can provide your organization with.

• Access NSA Threat Intel: One of the biggest advantages of NSA collaboration is that doing so gives you access to DIB-specific threat intelligence that is otherwise unavailable to the public. By partnering with the NSA, you will have access to invaluable data that can help you stay one step ahead of emerging security threats by allowing you to make real-time enhancements to boost security and maintain compliance.

• Fortify Your Network Defenses: With the assistance of the NSA’s CCC services, DoD contractors gain access to tools that help them monitor, control, and protect communications. This can help supercharge your overall cybersecurity posture to keep sensitive government data secure and ensure compliance.

• Maintain Confidentiality: The NSA’s cybersecurity collaboration services are offered free of charge to eligible organizations, regardless of size or resources. This means that even small businesses can take advantage of the NSA’s extensive threat intelligence knowledge and advanced cybersecurity capabilities to protect sensitive government data.

• Get Mitigation Support: Not only do the NSA’s services help DoD contractors detect vulnerabilities in their security posture, but the NSA is also there to provide these contractors with expert guidance to help them fix these vulnerabilities.

• CMMC Compliance Support: Collaborating with the NSA on cybersecurity can also help organizations achieve CMMC compliance. It does not cover your entire compliance boundary, but it helps! This is because CCC services help support many NIST 800-171 requirements for the Risk Assessment, System and Communications Protection, and System and Information Integrity families.

Next Steps: Establishing Eligibility and Enrollment

For organizations in the DIB, NSA’s CCC is a great resource as it provides no-cost services that help them ensure the security of their CUI and prepare for CMMC assessment. Yet, how will you know if you’re eligible for the NSA’s cybersecurity services? The good news is that the program has a very low barrier for entry, as participants need to simply have an active DoD contract (sub or prime), or have access to non-public, DoD information that must be kept secure.

If you believe that you are eligible for these free NSA cybersecurity services and are interested in enrolling, you can confirm your eligibility and start the enrollment process by sending an email to DIB_Defense@cyber.NSA.gov. Alternatively, you can also fill out the NSA’s cybersecurity services contact form online. Once your eligibility is confirmed, you’ll sign a form and will be able to start implementing these services. In some cases, the enrollment process can take as little as 30 minutes.

Contact Agile IT to Learn More About CMMC Certification

Achieving and maintaining CMMC certification can seem like an uphill battle due to its complex and time-consuming nature. The good news is that you do not have to go through this process alone. Not only does the DoD provide contractors with ample resources such as the NSA’s Cybersecurity Collaboration Center, but you also have the to option to partner with a CMMC-certified managed service provider to help guide you through this process.

As a CMMC-certified MSP, Agile IT has the expertise to guide you through the CMMC certification process and ensure you are prepared when it is time for your next CMMC assessment. Contact us today to find out more about our comprehensive CMMC services and how we can simplify the process of defending and securing your sensitive government data so your organization can thrive!