Calient partners with American Networking Solutions on cyber-security system

Optical switch specialist Calient Technologies, Inc. has teamed with American Networking Solutions (ANS) to develop the CyberSecure Infrastructure Protection System (IPS). The system detects data security breaches on fiber-optic networks and shuts off or re-routes traffic to ensure data integrity.

Fiber-optic cable can be tapped and classified data compromised without data security systems being alerted. To prevent physical plant cyber-attacks on secure networks, agencies and companies typically deploy protective distribution systems (PDS), data encryption devices or encase conduit in concrete. Calient says the CyberSecure IPS is the first five-level cyber security approach designed to secure physical cabling infrastructure and automatically protect data traffic of government and enterprise networks from physical plant cyber-attacks – minimizing the risk of physical intrusions and the loss of mission critical classified information.

The CyberSecure IPS combines the S320 optical circuit switch from Calient with the CyberSecure Infrastructure Management System (IMS) from ANS. The result is an alarmed carrier protective distribution system that is unique in the IT security industry, the companies claim.

When an optical disturbance is detected on a data network infrastructure cable, the CyberSecure IMS software notifies Calient’s S320 of the intrusion attempt and the S320 then quarantines network elements. The S320 can instantly shut off or reroute data traffic to a new network infrastructure to prevent any sensitive information from being transmitted across compromised circuits. This routing capability can also be used to direct traffic to optical tap couplers for network packet monitoring.

“The government is investing heavily in cyber security over the next five years to protect classified information. The Cyber Secure IPS gives IT security teams unprecedented network visibility into their physical plant, taking IT security to a whole new level,” said Scott Rye, president and CEO of ANS. “We’ve proven the value of CyberSecure IPS at a number of installations, but the addition of the S320 gives us a way to instantly steer around problems without any downtime.”

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