Technology is the new frontier of the 21^st century, but only for those with the money and resources to afford the newest technological infrastructure. When technology expands like this, so do the problems associated with it. As we’ve seen in the past ten years, one of the main problems is security and keeping private and sensitive data out of the wrong hands.

When it comes to contracting, especially for the Department of Defense, these problems are at the forefront of every decision. For this reason, the DoD has begun investing in a secure cloud system that will help small and medium-sized contractors secure their information regarding the government.

The cloud would be a place for small contractors to store their data, rather than have them store it within their own systems, as a way for the government to ensure there is no way that the information could be misused. They specifically designate this for smaller contractors as not only do they make up a good amount of total DoD contracts, the larger contractors already have their own security systems in place, and therefore do not need to use this. The cloud would be designated as Government Furnished Equipment and would help them keep an eye on data from a vast majority of their contractors.

The introduction of this system comes as a response from companies requesting for more infrastructure like this, and greater information sharing in the Department of Defense. Companies with smaller security systems are expected to protect their own data, but they argue they cannot reasonably be expected to protect secure data from larger cyber attacks from nation states or terror cells.

The Department of Defense has now taken steps to alleviate this problem to make sure their highest volume of contractors is protected. Moreover, while details about individual attacks are classified, a recently released report from the Navy has made it clear that this is a large ongoing problem.

Sources:

https://defensesystems.com/articles/2016/02/03/dod-cyber-spending.aspx