Fortifying cyber resilience: Peraton's data-centric approach to government security

Government agencies must continue to invest in strengthening cyber resilience to prevent and counter today’s threats. Industry partners are key to their success. Peraton, a company with 30+ years of history in information technology and national security, provides data management for agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, and across the intelligence community. Gregg Garrett, the company’s vice president of cybersecurity capabilities, emphasizes robust data management as foundational for effective cybersecurity.

“It's not all about the flashy cybersecurity tools and technologies and the latest AI capabilities,” he explains. “They provide some value add, but it's important to have a strong foundation in good data management to really be able to properly leverage those cybersecurity innovations and tools.”

Orlando Ruiz, Peraton's technical director and cyber systems architect within its Cyber Mission sector, further highlights the critical role of data management in ensuring the integrity, availability, and confidentiality of data noting that, at its essence, data management is about safeguarding critical data assets. It ensures the data is accurate and reliable (integrity), readily accessible when needed (availability), and protected from unauthorized access (confidentiality).

“It enables the same government agencies to efficiently manage people, process and tech, and to handle increases in the four V’s — the volume, variety, velocity and veracity of the data,” says Ruiz. “This gives them the ability to apply advanced analytics, for example, artificial intelligence, that enable threat detection and allow these organizations to communicate with their community to respond swiftly to evolving cyber threats.”

Peraton's strategic tools and framework

Peraton's approach includes a data management framework that aligns with international standards, treating data as a strategic asset. This framework encompasses maintaining business integrity, ensuring privacy, normalizing data, and improving information security.

The company offers a robust suite of tools, including ThreatBoard, which offers comprehensive data analysis, threat intelligence and proactive incident response capabilities, natural language processing, and correlation technology. ThreatBoard is underpinned with Peraton’s Fractals software that provides customizable views and enables interoperability with communication platforms, breaking down data silos and improving operational efficiency. 

Peraton tools, like ThreatBoard, simplify cybersecurity by combining data into one easy-to-use interface, which saves time, reduces costs and helps analysts stay alert and efficient. Peraton solutions also actively lighten analysts' workloads, sharpening their focus on crucial cyber threat mitigation. The Artificial Intelligence Research Enhancing Solution, or AIRES, for example, quickly develops cyber defense strategies using secure-by-design AI and machine learning. This deployment-ready platform offers on-demand analytics with a containerized environment, scalable to high data volumes, and integrates mission-aligned tools for diverse analytic needs while ensuring data governance and privacy. 

Helping agencies meet the mission 

In a changing cyber landscape, agencies aiming to build data resiliency need to consider a variety of complex factors, and partners like Peraton can be instrumental in this process.

As a mission capability integrator, Peraton aligns with customer objectives by using industry-leading tools and technologies, including offerings from cloud service providers and cybersecurity software developers. Additionally, Peraton capitalizes on its unique intellectual property, cultivated through both government-sponsored cyber R&D initiatives and independent research endeavors.

Garrett highlights that Peraton's strength is crafting customized cybersecurity solutions well suited to an agency's specific technology stack, risk profile, threat landscape, budget and timeline. This tailored experience ensures solutions are relevant and effective.

The company's approach merges foundational data management with advanced analytics and AI capabilities, supporting business intelligence functions with these data assets.

“Anyone who's ever worked as a security analyst ... I can tell you, it's a very challenging job. It is a data overload, so anything you can do to help reduce that actually improves morale and performance of the security operation analyst,” Garrett says. 

Understanding data is crucial to understanding the customer's mission – a principle that guides Peraton's service and solution development, Ruiz notes. This deep knowledge of various datasets positions Peraton at the cutting edge of customer service and solution advancement.

Ultimately, Peraton customizes its integrated solutions for each agency, considering its specific technology stack, risk, threat, budget, and timeline. The company specializes in implementing zero trust architectures and developing in-depth defense strategies, making it an ideal partner for agencies striving for data resilience.

“I believe our ability to bring all of that together and customize solutions is truly unique,” Garrett says.

Learn more about how Peraton can help your agency build data resilience.