Transition to Practice
Addressing rapidly evolving cyber threats requires a better way to bridge the gap between cybersecurity research and the marketplace. The Cyber Security Division within the Homeland Security Advanced Research Project Agency (HSARPA) has created the Transition to Practice (TTP) program to address this need. Through TTP, DHS S&T is leading the successful transition of federally funded cybersecurity technologies into broader use and creating an efficient transition process that will have a lasting impact on the R&D community.
Goals
- Identify mature technologies that address an existing or imminent cybersecurity gap in public or private systems that impacts national security.
- Increase use through partnerships, product development efforts, and marketing strategies.
- Improve the long term ability for federal government research labs to transition technology more efficiently.
Motivation
Successful transition of cybersecurity technology from research to operational use is identified as a critical area in the 2011 and 2016 Federal Cybersecurity R&D Strategic Plans.
Transition remains a difficult endeavor with many challenges. Only a small fraction of the research performed in federal laboratories reaches the marketplace where it can have an impact. This problem, known as “the Valley of Death,” is often a result of lack of partnerships between the government and the private sector, non-existent funding and other resources to mature the technology, and inefficient processes for transitioning technology out of the laboratory environment.
Approach
The TTP program conducts tech foraging to identify promising cybersecurity technologies from several sources of federally-funded R&D, including DOE National Labs, DOD Labs, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC), University Affiliated Research Centers, and universities funded through National Science Foundation grants. Approximately eight new technologies are selected by TTP every year.
The TTP transition process includes training, market validation, testing and evaluation, pilot deployment, and outreach. Technologies are introduced to potential partners, investors, and integrators, and showcased at a national series of Technology Demonstration Days.
TTP supports multiple paths to transition, including open source, licensing, startups, adoption by cyber operators, and government use.
TTP Successes
Since its inception in 2012, the TTP program has successfully transitioned a number of federally funded cybersecurity technologies:
- Quantum Security (LANL): Licensed to Whitewood Encryption Systems; available commercially
- Hyperion (ORNL): Licensed to Lenvio Inc; product in use by government and large corporations
- PathScan (LANL): Licensed by Ernst & Young; product is part of cybersecurity offering
- NeMS (LLNL): Licensed to Cambridge Global; in development
- PACRAT (PNNL): Licensed to Rhino Corp; adding capability to existing product
- LOCKMA (MIT Lincoln Lab): Licensed to several companies for use in government solutions
- ZeroPoint (University of North Carolina, NSF grantee): Available commercially from Zeropoint Dynamics, a network security start up
- Hone (PNNL): Available as open source
TTP Events
Upcoming Events
Past Events
- FY16 Cyber Security Division Transition to Practice Technology Demonstration Day for the Financial Services Sector – June 14, 2016 | New York City, NY
- FY15 Transition to Practice Technology Demonstration Day – June 21, 2016 | Washington, DC
- FY15 Transition to Practice Technology Demonstration Day for the Energy Sector – May 18, 2016 | Houston, TX
- FY14 Transition to Practice Technology Demonstration Day for Investors, Integrators, and IT Companies (I3) East – January 14, 2016 | McLean, VA
Resources
- Transition to Practice Technology Guide, Fiscal Year 2016
- 2016 Federal Cybersecurity Research and Development Strategic Plan
Press Releases
- PACRAT: DHS S&T Announces New Cybersecurity Risk Analysis Tool on the Commercial Market, April 13, 2016
- PathScan: DHS S&T Announces Licensing of Cyber Security Network Anomaly-Detection Technology, August 31, 2015
- NeMS: DHS S&T Transitions Third Cybersecurity Technology, July 15, 2015
- S&T To Demonstrate Cutting-Edge Cybersecurity Technologies, June 3, 2015
- Hyperion: DHS S&T Announces Cyber Security Technology to be Licensed, February 19, 2015
- Quantum Security: S&T Announces First Success of Technology Transition Within the TTP, September 10, 2014
- Homeland Security to Demonstrate New Emerging Cybersecurity Technologies, September 13, 2013
Snapshot Articles
- Cyber Security Division’s TTP Program Hosts Tech Showcase Series, July 14, 2016
- Cyber Security Division Showcases Transitionable Technologies, January 29, 2016
- S&T to Demonstrate Malware Detection Technologies, June 4, 2015
- S&T Announces First Success of Technology Transition Program Program moves to Commercial Market, November 13, 2014
Contact
Program Manager: Nadia Carlsten
Email: ST.TTP@hq.dhs.gov