Saad Ullah
Viasat, the global communication giant revealed today that it has received a one thousand piece order for National Security Agency(NSA) certified crypto devices by the US Air Force. This is the first time the blockchain technology will be deployed in active warfare.
Securing Information in the Battlefield
In a war, transmitting secure information has always been problematic. There is always a risk of interception and decoding. Even the information can be hijacked, contents changed and sent on its original route, creating a whole new level of deception.
US Air Force (USAAF), is the first known military branch in the world that has turned towards the immutable and secure nature that blockchain provides. In a world where the technology is still facing acceptance from many countries and their financial institutions, the military is tapping into the decentralized power.
Small, yet Powerful
The devices, as described by Viasat, are compact and designed in such a way that they can be integrated with any US Department of Defense’s small form factor systems. The crypto devices will rely on blockchain technology to ensure data is secure and is transmitted to its intended recipient without interception or manipulation. Blockchain’s immutable and heavy encryption is what has attracted USAAF towards implementing blockchain hardware into their combat systems.
The small crypto devices will carry their own internal encryption engine, making them far more secure than any other device being used in the field.
Ken Peterman, the president of government systems at Viasat said in relation to the crypto devices, “Cyber threats have created a new operational environment and have increased risk across the multi-domain battlespace. Our Mini Crypto will provide substantial operational cost savings to our customers through certificate-based Tactical Key Management and non-Controlled Cryptographic Item handling.”
Multiple Use
The small crypto devices will be used in a number of different applications where data security and transmission are of the utmost priority, such as robotics, communications and sensory devices. For the USAAF, these devices mean a very small additional weight, but providing a far more security and value.
The devices are based off Viasat’s PSIAM technology, which has already proven to be effective in providing top notch cryptography to different applications and field.
Saad Ullah
