An Cosantóir

CIS CORPS An Cosantóir November / December 2024 www.military.ie/magazine CYBER Strategic relationships with national and international bodies play a vital role in developing DF Cyber Capability. A DF officer has been seconded to the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCD CoE) in Tallinn, Estonia, working with international teams to develop new Cyber Space Operations concepts. The DF also maintains regular engagement with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). Participation in international cyber exercises is crucial for building DF Cyber capability. These exercises, which involve personnel from the NCSC, AGS, industry, and academia, help enhance the skills of PDF and RDF personnel. In October 2024, the DF participated in the EU milCERT interoperability exercise, MICNET 24, aimed at providing hands-on experience in detecting, solving, and reporting cyber security incidents with milCERT specialists across Europe. From December 2-6, 2024, the DF took part in NATO's Cyber Coalition 24 (CC24) exercise, organised by the CCD CoE, with 50 Irish participants. Two DF personnel deployed to Tallinn, while others participated from McKee Barracks. The exercise simulated cyber incidents, including mission net compromise, malware attacks on critical infrastructure, healthcare system breaches, and website defacements, providing valuable experience in responding to complex cyber threats. DF CIRT The Defence Forces Computer Incident Response Team (DF CIRT), based in DFHQ CIS COY, McKee, is responsible for securing the Defence Forces' CISN. This includes protecting all Defence Forces equipment connected to the network, managing Cyber Awareness, and monitoring Cyber Threat Intelligence. Security measures encompass the monitoring of the SOC, SIEM, and endpoint protection through physical and autonomous system checks. The main user interaction with CIRT occurs through the Email Gateway and Cyber Awareness campaigns. Email Gateway: The email gateway filters incoming and outgoing mail to prevent SPAM and malicious links from entering the network and to prevent data loss. Rules are in place to protect the network from emails sent to unsecured addresses, which are vulnerable to interception. CIRT ensures data security and provides guidance to users based on the bounce-back emails they receive. Cyber Awareness: CIRT recently launched a phishing campaign targeting 150 users with a fake Late Late Toy Show registration email. Results were shared internally. According to September 2024 research, 64% of Irish adults have experienced phishing, making Ireland the most phished country globally. CIRT advises users never to click on suspicious links or share personal or financial information unsolicited. Ongoing Cyber Awareness campaigns aim to reduce phishing risks and enhance vigilance across the Defence Forces. NEXT GENERATION WORKING ENVIRONMENT (NGWE) The NGWE project aims to modernise the Defence Forces' IT infrastructure to support a more flexible workforce. Changes to the network architecture will enable a new telephony solution, increase mobile device access, and improve connectivity with industry partners. The new system will provide each individual with a dedicated device, with docking stations allowing remote access laptop users to connect to the full CISN desktop when seated at desks in barracks. However, many PCs will remain for roles that require desk-based work. Systems are being tested to ensure the structured rollout of these devices with minimal disruption. A key part of NGWE is the development of a new telephony solution to replace the outdated Skype-for-Business (SfB) system, ensuring a smooth transition. NGWE is a "project of projects," providing a framework for deploying various applications and services to enhance the CISN user experience. These improvements are designed to modernise the infrastructure and support the evolving needs of the Defence Forces. SDR The Irish Defence Forces have chosen Thales to supply Software Defined Radios (SDRs) to replace the SINCGARS combat radio system, enhancing communications across the Army, Air Corps, and Naval Service. This decision follows a rigorous tender process (2022–2023), including five months of tactical and technical testing. SDRs, unlike traditional radios, use software to control key functions like modulation, demodulation, and frequency tuning, offering greater flexibility and interoperability. The SDR system will provide 3,500 SquadNet tactical radios and over 2,000 SYNAPS radios. SquadNet radios, designed for dismounted soldiers, will support secure voice, location sharing, and data transmission. SYNAPS radios, in vehicle-mounted and handheld forms, will replace the SINCGARS manpack system. The initial batch of SquadNet radios is already in use with the EUBG unit, and remaining deliveries will continue until Q2 2025. SYNAPS radios will begin phased delivery in November 2024, with full deployment expected by Q3 2025. HYPER CONVERGED INFRASTUCTURE (HCI) 2 PROJECT The HCI 2 project builds on the ongoing NGWE initiative, modernising ICT systems from desktops to data centres. While NGWE focuses on end-user environments such as virtual desktops and remote laptops, HCI 2 targets the application server infrastructure. This project will enhance the DF network's storage, compute power, and resiliency, enabling the organisation to meet the evolving demands of the digital landscape and ensure rapid recovery from outages or disasters. Currently, the DF operates two data centres in an active-active configuration, ensuring continuous service availability. HCI 2 builds on this foundation, improving performance with all-flash storage and VMware-based virtualisation, enabling near-real-time replication. The project will enhance compute power to support growing digital demands, increase storage capacity for high-volume needs like the Military Archives project, and implement a robust disaster recovery strategy. This includes automated failover, real-time data replication, and comprehensive backup solutions, reducing downtime and data loss. While cloud services are not immediately integrated, HCI 2 will include provisions for future cloud adoption, focusing on disaster recovery, remote maintenance, and immutable backups. This prepares the DF to leverage cloud resources when operational needs require, ensuring long-term resilience and flexibility. An update regarding the ongoing project of The Defence Forces Joint Common Operational Picture – Delivering Network Enabled Operations will follow in a later edition of An Cosantóir. A YEAR IN REVIEW BY LT COL JOHN KENNY SDR Implementation Team site visit to Thales France CIS Corps pers pictured prior to commencement of buidld of new CIS Workshops and Stores in Q2 2024, due to be completed in Q1 2026 CIS Corps pers graduation from SETU with a Cert in Software Defined Comms Systems CIS pers at CR14 CCDCOE. They were EXCON in Tallinn during Exercise Cyber Coalition earlier this month. SDR Squadnet Radio

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