Office 365 expansion

Information Technology teams introduced additional Office 365 applications and tools. Experts from IT, Cyber Security and Communications collaborated to enable new cloud capabilities and services that enhance identity and data security, advance threat protection and improve the management, tracking and collaboration of work, and deployed infrastructure that allows the Labs to build end-to-end business solutions. The evolution of Office 365 is expanding the security of Sandia’s computing environment and increasing productivity. (3000, 9000)

Security key authentication

Sandia is the first national laboratory to implement federally compliant multifactor authentication with a security key. Information Technology worked with a vendor on a pilot to use the key for personal identity verification credentials, from Sandia badges to security keys. Users then sign into Sandia computers and networks with the security key. This provides a phishing-resistant authentication method and shields badges from public view when staff are traveling. Sandia’s multitool security keys also hold FIDO2 cloud authentication and one-time password credentials. (9000)

Improving technology for new employees

With the growth of hybrid work, an existing issue became critical when only 48% of new hires could connect to the network on their first day of work, and many virtual and remote workers couldn’t connect in the first week. In response, Sandia Information Technology developed the New Employee Support Team, which works closely with new hires to set up hardware, software, authentication and network access. The team dramatically improved the new employee experience, as 97% now can connect following orientation. (3000, 9000)

Engaging next-generation cyberdefenders

The Tracer Forensic Incident Response Exercise pulls together research in the latest cybersecurity adversarial tactics for an immersive educational experience. Coordinating with Sandia Recruiting and the Academic Alliance, the Tracer team held cybersecurity workshops at universities across the U.S. to build Sandia’s diverse cyber workforce through its pipeline program. The group has converted dozens of interns to full-time positions and helps retain talent from the Cyber Residency program. Additionally, the program generates robust datasets used in cyber research. (9000)

SOTERIA enables software without surprises

Sandia Cyber Security pioneered Software for Trust, Evaluation, Reliability and Information Assurance, a system that provides insight into software and its providers and enables risk-based decisions about internal processes, such as supply chain risk management, application request administration and software governance. The system delivers a holistic view of software assurance using automated, scalable methods to provide actionable data and increases due diligence in national security contexts. (9000)

Leadership for NNSA-wide cyber center

Sandia led the establishment of a governance structure for the NNSA Center of Excellence in Cyber Threat Intelligence with a new chair from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, increasing cross-site engagement. Threat-hunting efficacy increased by creating and distributing actionable compliance and anticipatory hunting profiles to Center of Excellence member sites, so each can search and address any indicators of compromise. (9000, LLNL)