The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) has launched a groundbreaking initiative, Reimagining Security with Cyberpsychology-Informed Network Defenses (ReSCIND). In a significant departure from traditional cybersecurity approaches, ReSCIND aims to exploit the cognitive vulnerabilities of cyber attackers by incorporating insights from the emerging field of cyberpsychology. Dr. Kimberly Ferguson-Walter, the program manager, highlights the innovative strategy of imposing costs on attackers for wasted time and effort, disrupting their operations and hastening the identification of the individuals orchestrating these attacks. The program’s unique approach combines established cybersecurity practices with the latest advancements in cyberpsychology, marking a paradigm shift in the development of more robust and adaptive cyber defenses.
To propel this pioneering research, IARPA has strategically awarded research contracts to top-tier teams including Charles River Analytics, GrammaTech, Peraton Labs, Raytheon Technologies Research Center, and SRI International. These collaborators are tasked with pushing the boundaries of cybersecurity innovation by leveraging the principles of cyberpsychology to enhance network defenses. The ReSCIND program is further fortified by partnerships with key institutions for test and evaluation, such as the University of Maryland Applied Research Laboratory, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and MITRE. This comprehensive approach underscores IARPA’s commitment to high-risk, high-payoff research, aiming to transform the landscape of cybersecurity over the anticipated four-year duration of the ReSCIND program.
In its pursuit of enhancing the Intelligence Community’s cyber defenses, the ReSCIND program represents a fusion of expertise from both the cybersecurity domain and the nascent field of cyberpsychology. The overarching goal is to impose tangible costs on attackers, not only deterring their efforts but also rapidly unveiling the identities behind cyber threats. IARPA’s dedication to advancing cutting-edge research and technology in the realm of cybersecurity is evident in this ambitious initiative, emphasizing a holistic understanding of the human element in cyber attacks and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in safeguarding critical networks and information systems.
