5th ECYSAP NEWSLETTER
July 2024
The ECYSAP project Advances with Key Workshop on Integration into FMN Node at Spain's Joint Cyber Command, searching to meet NATO Standards
‘’To be up to the challenges and threats ahead of us, we need
modern and interoperable European armed forces equipped with the latest
cyber defence capabilities’’.
Josep Borrel.
High Representative of the European Union
for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
The main objective of the ECYSAP project is to develop and implement of innovative theoretical foundations, methods and research prototypes integrated towards providing a European operational platform for enabling high maturity real-time Cyber Situational Awareness (CSA) for military end-users, capable of cyber response, automated and deployable in the same area of operations (National/European) interconnected between envisaged and identified intelligent nodes.
From April 9-11 and May 28-30, 2024, the ECYSAP project reached a significant milestone by conducting a critical workshop focused on the integration of ECYSAP into the Federated Mission Networking (FMN) node at Spain's Joint Cyber Command (MCCE). This workshop, held in two sessions, showcased the project's progress in aligning with NATO's FMN standards—essential for enhancing interoperability among NATO member states.
The primary objective of integrating ECYSAP with the FMN
was to ensure that the system can operate seamlessly within NATO's
federated networks. The FMN initiative, adopted by all NATO countries,
is designed to standardize communication protocols, security
requirements, and interoperability guidelines. This standardization is
crucial for enabling the integration of services between different
countries and domains, ensuring that they can "speak the same language"
when it comes to cybersecurity and operational coordination.
By successfully integrating ECYSAP into the FMN lab node at the Spanish
Ministry of Defense (MoD), the project is not only advancing its own
capabilities but also contributing to NATO's broader mission of unified,
secure, and interoperable defense systems. This integration demonstrates
that ECYSAP can operate within NATO’s federated networks, paving the way
for future collaborations and deployments across various NATO commands
Rather than a conventional exercise, this workshop was a hands-on integration phase. The ECYSAP team, in collaboration with the MCCE, deployed ECYSAP onto the FMN lab node, where they conducted interoperability tests and system evaluations. This process involved a series of visits to the MCCE, where the team worked closely with Spanish Ministry of Defense officials to meet the technical requirements for the FMN standard. The integration process began with the deployment of ECYSAP on virtual machines provided by the MCCE, configured to meet specific technological requirements such as integration with core services like the CMDB, DNS server, NTP server, and Certification Authority (CA). Subsequently, the team simulated their own FMN node within Indra, enabling them to conduct preliminary interoperability tests before the main deployment at the MCCE.
It should be noted is that all testing and integration work is currently being conducted on the MoD’s FMN lab node, rather than on a classified node. This approach allows us to first ensure interoperability with the services provided by FMN, enabling us to make necessary adjustments and improvements in a secure environment before any potential deployment in a classified setting.
This integration phase marks a significant step forward in showcasing ECYSAP’s interoperability with NATO tools and services, including the CMDB, NCOP, and core authentication and encryption services within the FMN node. The successful deployment not only validates ECYSAP’s technical compatibility with NATO standards but also enhances its potential to be adopted across various NATO commands that comply with the FMN framework.
Looking ahead, ECYSAP will continue to be tested and refined within the FMN lab node throughout 2024, with ongoing efforts planned until 2025. The next set of tests is scheduled for October 2-3, 2024, at the MCCE. Although no live demonstration of ECYSAP was conducted during this workshop, plans are underway for a possible integration of a Spanish demonstrator into the FMN node, which would further exemplify ECYSAP's capabilities in a live environment
