ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. – The U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command's Software Engineering Center is on the front lines of innovation. As worldwide events take shape, SEC continues to provide unwavering support to our Soldiers conducting mission operations, safeguarding equipment by ensuring Army software is secure and efficient.
SEC's mission is clear - to empower highly skilled Soldiers with sustained Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, or C5ISR readiness – anytime and anywhere. The CECOM Software Repository is a prime example of how SEC influences software readiness. It enables Soldiers and Field Support teams to quickly download needed software, cybersecurity updates, and patches - instead of waiting for physical delivery.
This capability is further improved by leveraging the Modification Management Information System, which notifies units when systems need updates – including a link back to the repository website. Since its launch in 2020, the repository has proven that electronic delivery is effective, averaging over 3500 downloads per month for more than 70 hosted systems.
Reduced delivery times and improved security reduces vulnerabilities to Army systems which directly contributes to Army readiness. A significant CECOM SEC initiative is embracing the introduction of cybersecurity and user feedback at the genesis point of software development. This combination of Development, Security, and Operations, called DevSecOps, uses a collaborative approach to software to prioritize changes based on early customer involvement, user-driven requirements, with security baked in at the beginning.
CECOM SEC continues leaning forward, and will launch the next iteration (“Repo 2.0”) of this site while following DevSecOps principles. The initial rollout plans to improve on the existing site with capabilities such as real-time searching, which updates results as you type; supporting concurrent downloads; security improvements; displaying file sizes; and the ability for users to select and display “favorite” systems for easy access. These new capabilities were driven by Soldier touchpoints and feedback provided to CECOM SEC.
With a new look and feel, as well as having more control over the site structure, user feedback continues to drive future plans. SEC’s innovation is also reflected in the response to the Army’s efforts to transform through modernization. SEC identified early on that while equipment and hardware were important areas to focus on, software capabilities also needed to evolve. This drove SEC to establish a cyber readiness framework (CRF) resulting in improved Unit Status Reporting to assess software, cyber and electronic warfare. These cyber checks were added to the Army’s standard Preventive Maintenance Checks and Services protocol.
The implementation of software PMCS and the direct Soldier feedback it creates from the field, was critical to improving. SEC wrote the framework for this new criteria. These are just some of the exciting new initiatives CECOM has in store as our military continues to flex and meet the need around the globe. CECOM SEC remains poised to be the center of excellence when it comes to software security. The work that SEC does directly impacts mission readiness and is vital to those that wear the cloth of this nation.
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