[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 184 (Thursday, December 17, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1822]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    A NEW APPROACH TO CYBERSECURITY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RICK W. ALLEN

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 17, 2015

  Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak about an effort by Unisys, a 
global technology company with a presence in my district, aimed at 
significantly lowering the cyber risks being faced by our citizens and 
our government. Cyber-attacks are increasing and leaders in government 
and industry are seeking new approaches to protect critical data. One 
new approach to security, micro-segmentation, was described in detail 
by Unisys Vice President Tom Patterson at the 2nd Annual Cyber 
Education Summit held at Augusta University on October 14-15, 2015. I 
would like to submit a short excerpt of Mr. Patterson's remarks as it 
outlines the core of this important initiative.

        Our original approach to cybersecurity is no longer 
     working. Recently, we have watched as companies, governments, 
     and institutions report system breaches on a nearly weekly 
     basis. It is clear that core assumptions and approaches that 
     defined our old security models are failing.
        We rely on computing and communications systems that are 
     critical to our financial systems, health care providers, 
     schools, governments, and business enterprises. It's not just 
     our computers that are at risk. Increasingly, cyber-attacks 
     jeopardize careers, wallets, companies, infrastructure, and 
     even lives. Adversaries boldly wield the power to access 
     personal and corporate data online and take control of 
     systems throughout our interconnected world.
        A fresh approach to security is needed. The new approach 
     must account for our modern infrastructure--employees work 
     from home, users need access to information on mobile 
     devices, and supply chains are integrated and interdependent. 
     The new approach should also accommodate changes in the 
     adversaries. Attackers are both more skilled and more 
     motivated. New cybersecurity systems need to assume that 
     infiltrations will occur and must provide tools to localize 
     and limit the damage.
        At the core of this new approach is micro-segmentation. If 
     segmentation is analogous to a bank vault, micro-segmentation 
     is akin to the many safe deposit boxes within the vault.
        Micro-segmentation is much more secure and inclusive, and 
     easier to implement and manage. It embraces new technologies 
     like clouds, and new business models like integrated supply 
     chains. It delivers real results that are cost-effective and 
     resource efficient.
        Micro-segmentation allows enterprise managers to divide 
     physical networks quickly and easily into hundreds or 
     thousands of logical micro networks, or microsegments. 
     Setting up microsegments keeps the different parts of an 
     organization logically separate, thus lowering the intrusion 
     risk. If a breach happens, the intruder can only see one 
     segment.
        Micro-segmentation works at the Internet packet level, 
     cryptographically sealing each packet so that only packets 
     within the approved microsegment are processed.
       For every packet, the data is completely encrypted, and the 
     routing information in the headers is cryptographically 
     sealed to ensure only authorized delivery. Users can only 
     send and receive packets for a specified group.
        Micro-segmentation is implemented by software, and it 
     therefore operates independent of any given network topology 
     or network hardware. Organizations have a single security 
     model that works equally well in local data centers and the 
     public cloud. With micro-segmentation, organizations can 
     extend security to the cloud while retaining control of data 
     in motion and the keys that secure it. Micro-segmentation 
     enables access to the benefits of the cloud--cost savings and 
     network flexibility--without sacrificing security. Micro-
     segmentation can be quickly and easily implemented within 
     virtual machines to defend against side-channel attacks and 
     other risks that are specific to cloud architectures.
        Micro-segmentation makes it easier to integrate component 
     suppliers by providing just the right amount of access. 
     Micro-segmentation can also protect legacy systems, allowing 
     organizations to use older operating systems while keeping 
     them isolated from newer systems.
        By embracing a new approach to cybersecurity, we can 
     dramatically increase the strength of our networks and 
     confront the new threat with new tools.