The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) announced that it has awarded Booz Allen Hamilton a $6.8 million contract to implement a Thunderdome prototype, which will be DISA’s zero-trust network and security architecture.

Over the next six months, DISA will operationally test how to implement DISA’s Zero Trust Reference Architecture using commercial technologies such as Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and Software Defined-Wide Area Networks (SD-WAN ).

“Over the next six months, we plan to produce a scalable working prototype across the department,” said Jason Martin, Director of Digital Capabilities and Security Center at DISA. “During this time, we will do what DISA does best – build, test, validate and implement the best cybersecurity solutions for the Department of Defense and warfighters around the world.”

The Thunderdome will also integrate cybersecurity centered around data protection and integrate with existing endpoint and identity initiatives aligned with zero trust.

“Thunderdome reflects a substantial shift toward next-generation cybersecurity and network architecture for the DoD,” said Chris Barnhurst, Deputy Director of DISA. “Rooted in identity and enhanced security controls, Thunderdome fundamentally changes our classic network-centric defense-in-depth security model to a data protection-centric model and will ultimately provide the department with a more secure operating environment. through the adoption of zero trust principles.”

Thunderdome is intended to modernize DISA’s cybersecurity infrastructure to improve the United States’ cybersecurity posture and improve user access to cloud-hosted applications by enabling dynamic and adaptable user security. at the edge of data and applications. It also aligns with several federal government cybersecurity modernization efforts to include President Biden’s Executive Order on Improving National Cybersecurity, the Department of Defense (DoD) Digital Modernization Strategy, and the Strategic Plan. from DISA.

“As part of this modernization, Thunderdome will streamline DoD’s endpoint security solution set, improve our security posture as we continue to invest in cloud technologies, and implement new security,” according to a press release. “SASE technology will be used to complement the current perimeter defense function and enable direct Internet access for DoD applications regardless of hosting environment.”