{"id":23069,"date":"2018-06-21T19:35:46","date_gmt":"2018-06-21T19:35:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2018\/06\/21\/pentagon-to-bake-better-contractor-security-into-buying-decisions\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:00:07","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:00:07","slug":"pentagon-to-bake-better-contractor-security-into-buying-decisions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/congress\/2018\/06\/21\/pentagon-to-bake-better-contractor-security-into-buying-decisions\/","title":{"rendered":"Facing Chinese cyberthreat, Pentagon to bake better contractor security into buying decisions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 In the wake of reports China hacked a Navy contractor<\/a> for sensitive data on submarine warfare, Pentagon officials said they want to build better security into the military\u2019s acquisitions process<\/a> to better protect the defense industry from Beijing\u2019s tampering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it\u2019s unclear whether the defense industry has bought into the nascent effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is no longer sufficient to only consider cost, schedule and performance when acquiring defense capabilities,\u201d Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Kari Bingen<\/a> told lawmakers Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe must establish security as a fourth pillar in defense acquisition and also create incentives for industry to embrace security, not as a cost burden, but as a major factor in their competitiveness for U.S. government business.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Washington Post reported June 8 that Chinese government hackers had compromised the computers of a Navy contractor, stealing massive amounts of highly sensitive data related to undersea warfare \u2014 including secret plans to develop a supersonic anti-ship missile for use on U.S. submarines by 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Thursday, Bingen and other Pentagon officials testified before the House Armed Services Committee on the broader problem: China\u2019s sweeping efforts to transfer U.S. military technology, which include targeted commercial investments, predatory trade practices and illegal intellectual property theft, all aimed at eroding America\u2019s military edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Chinese theft of technology and intellectual property, through the exfiltration of the work of others is not unlike the Chinese construction of islands to encroach upon the geographic domains of international waters and those of other sovereign nations,\u201d said Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Michael Griffin<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt circumvents the autonomy of nations in a departure from a rules-based global order. It is adversarial behavior and its perpetrator must be treated as such.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The officials highlighted a four-pronged effort at the Pentagon, which includes a new program called \u201cDeliver Uncompromised,\u201d to safeguard the parts used in American military hardware \u2014 for instance, microelectronics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe must have confidence that industry is delivering capabilities, technologies and weapon systems that are uncompromised by our adversaries, secure from cradle to grave,\u201d Bingen said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The panel\u2019s ranking member, Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., ripped the administration for lacking an industrial-base policy and for the military\u2019s cybersecurity efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe had a briefing yesterday on a cyber breach, and it was shocking how disorganized, unprepared and, quite frankly, utterly clueless the branch of the military was that [it] had been breached,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven in this day and age, we still have not figured out how to put together a cyber policy to protect our assets. In particular, with our defense contractors, who we work with, who store our data, but don\u2019t have adequate protection. But even within the DoD, we don\u2019t have a clear, cohesive policy to put in place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t