Next-Generation Mobility Access-as-a-Service to Classified Data (C12a)
Government agencies face increasing demands for remote work and connectivity across disparate facilities, often located on or near campuses. While remote work poses new challenges, securely extending network access to contractors has been a long-standing issue. Agencies such as the Department of Energy (DoE) face specific challenges, including limited availability of government-issued devices, difficulties in contractor compliance and auditing, and prohibitive costs and time associated with building classified work areas. These challenges are compounded by productivity losses due to personnel commuting to approved classified workspaces and difficulties retaining and recruiting key talent.
This talk explores a compelling use case for Access-as-a-Service (A3S), facilitated by federal agencies’ pursuit of Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC). A3S maximizes capital investments while reducing time-to-delivery for organizations requiring secure access to classified networks in locations without such access. By eliminating backdoor VPN tunneling and leveraging CSfC distribution, this approach provides direct, domain-controlled access to applications and data. The solution enhances security, simplifies management, and ensures compliance, even when leveraging the global Internet as an untrusted yet cost-effective resource.
The talk examines the potential of a minimal investment in a CSfC backbone to address communication gaps across federal agencies. It highlights how such an approach could provide classified data communications to meet the growing need for mobility while reducing costs and logistical burdens. This discussion aims to present a forward-looking vision for enabling classified data access in future government scenarios.