The security of defense computer communications systems depends on having sophisticated assurance methods available at all times. This research area develops the protocols and management software that will guarantee that all the critical communication features can be used effectively even when severe stress is placed on the network.
Stress can arise from accidental or malicious sources.
The challenge to the high confidence network program is to maximize the utility of the network smoothly and quickly to meet defense requirements. There are two major foci of this research area. The core services targeted for improvement are naming, routing, connection establishment, multicast, and distributed file systems. These secure core services will provide the foundation for more dynamic security management. The second focus is on runtime adaptation of security services and the interaction of security requirements with other communication requirements.