Foreign Hackers Targeting US Computer Systems

Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the internet concerning the Naval Air Station Patuxent River economic community. The opinions expressed here do not reflect opinions of the Leader’s owners or staff.

Avril Haines, the top US intelligence official, warned the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday of an alarming rise in cyberattacks, reports CNBC. The number of ransomware attacks worldwide grew as much as 74% in the past year, she said, adding that US entities were the most heavily targeted in 2023. Haines also said her agency has seen an increase in attacks on control systems for critical infrastructure but added that there are several ways for entities to prevent being targeted.

An advisory issued by the US State Department, FBI, and NSA is warning agencies to set their email servers to block North Korean spies, reports Defense One. A North Korean hacking collective is exploiting poorly configured email servers to attack academic institutions, think tanks, journalists, and nonprofit organizations, according to the advisory.

MAJ GEN Lorna Mahlock, commander of the Marine’s Cyber National Mission Force, warned against Chinese hackers lurking in US computer systems, reports Military.com. A Chinese, state-sponsored hacking group has embedded itself in critical US infrastructure and is waiting to “foment terror” and “societal panic” through cyberattacks, she said. Called Volt Typhoon, it is a campaign designed to infiltrate software systems lurking undetected to conduct attacks on communications, energy, transportation, and emergency services.

The Biden administration has updated an Obama-era policy for how agencies oversee and manage critical infrastructure sectors, reports Federal News Network. Incidents like Volt Typhoon and the increase of ransomware attacks against US infrastructure spurred the newly issued National Security Memorandum-22.

The Volt Typhoon hacks are likely to inspire copycats, said MAJ GEN Mahlock, reports C4ISRNET.

Two rural Texas towns have reported Russian cyberattacks, reports Inc. A hack that caused the water system in Muleshoe, TX, to overflow in January has been linked to a Russian hacktivist group, calling itself CyberArmyofRussia_Reborn. It is the latest case of a US public utility becoming a target of foreign cyberattacks. An official in Hale Center, TX, said there were 37,000 attempts in four days to log into the town’s firewall.

NavSec Carlos Del Toro, speaking before the House Armed Services Committee last week, was asked how the US Navy plans to rectify its challenges recruiting new sailors, reports Navy Times. The service missed its recruitment goals for the first time ever in fiscal 2023. “Why are we struggling so much more than the other branches?” Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) asked. The other services hit at least 90% of their recruiting targets the first half of fiscal 2024; the Navy obtained less than 70% of its recruiting goals during that same time.

The Navy will name the next America-class big deck amphibious warship after the Helmand province campaign in Afghanistan, reports USNI News. “I am honored to announce today that the future LHA-10 will be named USS Helmand Province, recognizing the bravery and sacrifice of our Marines and sailors who fought for almost 20 years in the mountains of Afghanistan,” said NavSec Del Toro.

Thirty Marines and sailors were injured last week during a training incident involving two ship-to-shore vessels off the coast of Florida, reports Military Times. The incident April 30 involved two of the Navy’s “landing craft, air cushions,” or LCACs, 91-foot-long, air-cushioned vessels used to move troops and materiel.

The Marine Corps will send new amphibious vehicles to Japan this summer, reports Marine Corps Times. Twelve amphibious combat vehicles will arrive in Okinawa for the Japan-based 4th Marine Regiment.

Pentagon officials say the US needs a better-coordinated approach to defend against unmanned aerial systems, reports Air & Space Forces Magazine. William LaPlante, undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment, speaking at a Center for Strategic and International Studies event, said that counter-UAS needs urgent attention, given the increasing role of drones in state-on-state conflict. Drones are a cost-imposing tactic on defenders, and he said the US spends up to $100,000 to destroy just one uncrewed air vehicle, which can be launched in large swarms.

The War Zone, investigating mysterious drones that recently swarmed Langley Air Force Base, found that the unidentified drones were such an issue that assets were called in from around the government, including a NASA high-altitude jet. The drone incursions underscore the growing threats that uncrewed aerial systems present on and off traditional battlefields, and to military and critical civilian infrastructure.

The US Space Force is emerging as a critical enabler for the Pentagon’s warfighting capabilities, BRIG GEN Robert Hutt told attendees at a Space Force Association event, reports SpaceNews. What was once a complementary space architecture is today the central nervous system of joint operations, he said, calling the service “a critical part of the kill chains for the Department of Defense.”

The US Air Force’s S73-7 satellite has been rediscovered after being untracked for more than two decades, reports Popular Science. The S73-7 Infra-Red Calibration Balloon was dead on arrival after ejecting from one of the Air Force’s largest Cold War orbital spy camera systems. Although it successfully departed the reconnaissance satellite about 500 miles above Earth in 1974, the S73-7 failed to inflate to its full 26-inch diameter.

Chris Calio is the new chief executive for RTX, reports Breaking Defense. When he was the company’s chief operations officer, Calio oversaw the realignment of RTX into three business segments: Pratt & Whitney, Collins Aerospace, and a single Raytheon unit that combined the company’s weapons and space arms.

Lockheed Martin has withdrawn an offer to acquire satellite maker Terran Orbital for nearly $300 million, reports Space News. Lockheed, besides being a major investor in Terran Orbital, is a major customer of the company.

Northrop Grumman’s uncrewed underwater vehicle Manta Ray test bed has completed its at-sea trials off the coast of California, reports C4ISRNET. The tests demonstrated at-sea hydrodynamic performance, including submerged operations using all of the vehicle’s modes of propulsion and steering: buoyancy, propellers, and control surfaces.

BAE Systems was awarded a contract to develop an air quality sensor for a US geostationary weather satellite, reports SpaceNews. The GeoXO Atmospheric Composition instrument, known as ACX, will monitor air quality and measure pollution from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s next-generation Geostationary Extended Observations satellites.

In-person early voting in Maryland continues for four more days, ending on Thursday, May 9. But hundreds of thousands of voters have already requested ballots allowing them to vote by mail, an option that’s become increasingly popular since the pandemic, reports WTOP News.

Republican voters in Maryland heading to the primary polls have an opportunity to choose a candidate to represent the party in what could be one of the most competitive Senate general election campaigns in recent memory, reports Maryland Matters. Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Robin Ficker, a disbarred attorney and former state delegate, have moved to the head of the pack by virtue of fundraising and television ad campaigns. Hogan remains popular even two years out of office.

A mistrial was declared Thursday after a jury said it could not reach a verdict in the trial of military contractor CACI accused of contributing to the abuse of detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq two decades ago, reports Military Times. Three survivors of Abu Ghraib claimed CACI was responsible for their mistreatment.

Sharon Toney-Finch, founder of the Yerik Israel Toney Foundation in New York and a US Army veteran, was charged with stolen valor and fraud, reports Military Times. Officials from the US attorney’s office said that Toney-Finch spent funds raised by her charity on personal expenses and falsely claimed to have survived a terrorist attack in Iraq in 2010, earning her a Purple Heart.

Tech CEO Onur Aksoy has been sentenced to more than six years in prison for selling fake Cisco products to the US military, reports Times Now Digital via MSN. US authorities and Cisco detected Aksoy’s fraudulent activity as early as 2014. Despite orders to cease operations and seizures of counterfeit shipments, Aksoy continued the scheme with the aid of Chinese suppliers, who modified used Cisco products to appear legitimate.

Contracts:

Altus Technology Solutions LLC, Hanover, Maryland, is awarded a $65,285,571 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides rapid organic engineering, prototyping, reverse-engineering, environmental testing, antenna repairs and life cycle extensions, and production capabilities in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWCAD) Naval Air Systems Command, and the NAWCAD Webster Outlying Field Divisions. Work will be performed at St. Inigoes, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in July 2029. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured as a small business set-aside; six offers were received. NAWCAD Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0042124D0014).

Amentum Services Inc., Germantown, Maryland, was awarded a $58,697,309 modification (0003 FD) to contract W52P1J-12-G-0028 for maintenance, supply, and transportations logistics support services. Work will be performed in Kuwait, with an estimated completion date of May 2, 2024. Fiscal 2024 operation and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $58,697,309 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity.

M. A. Mortenson Co., Minneapolis, Minnesota, was awarded a $37,493,320 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a medical waste incinerator facility. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Frederick, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2027. Fiscal 2021 military construction, Army funds in the amount of $37,493,320 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W912DR-24-C-0008).

Lockheed Martin Corp., Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, was awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract in the amount of $15,586,916 for Iraq integrated air defense system contractor logistics support. This contract provides for follow on contractor logistics support to include subject matter expert support, engineering support, return and repair, and in country on-site support. Work will be performed in Iraq; and Syracuse, New York, and is expected to be completed by May 2, 2027. This contract involves 100 percent Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Iraq. This contract was a sole source acquisition. FMS funds in the amount of $15,586,916 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity (FA2383-24-C-B006).

Management Services Group, doing business as Global Technical Systems, Virginia Beach, Virginia, was awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract with a ceiling of $7,943,505 for a Hyperconverged Edge Computing Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) III. This contract provides the transition of flexible infrastructure concepts and technologies developed in prior SBIR initiatives and to enable an optimized design approach for the integration of all required system components to address identified Space Force capabilities and/or as applicable to other SBIR Phase III commercialization. This effort will deliver requirement definitions, design information, fabrication, production, and demonstration of space systems for rapid decision and command action delivery. Work will be performed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by July 30, 2026. This contract was a competitive acquisition, and one offer was received. Fiscal 2023 congressional funds and research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the total amount of $7,943,505 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Lab Space Technology Branch, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9453-24-C-X024).

Tidewater Inc., Elkridge, Maryland, was awarded a $19,576,895 firm-fixed-price contract for facilities investment services. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 18, 2029. US Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston, South Carolina, is the contracting activity (W912HP-24-D-1003).

AT&T Mobility LLC, Atlanta, Georgia (N00244-24-D-0005); Hughes Network Systems LLC, Germantown, Maryland (N00244-24-D-0006); Manhattan Telecommunications Corp., doing business as MetTel, New York, New York (N00244-24-D-0007); Real Mobile Inc., North Lauderdale, Florida (N00244-24-D-0008); T-Mobile, Bellevue, Washington (N00244-24-D-0009); Cellco Partnership doing business as Verizon Wireless, Basking Ridge, New Jersey (N00244-24-D-0010); and WidePoint Integrated Solutions Corp., Fairfax, Virginia (N00244-24-D-0011), are awarded a $267,002,665 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price, ceiling-price contract to provide commercial wireless mobility services, including all wireless technologies and related operations, to include software, hardware, firmware, and equipment. This requirement will cover usage in all 50 United States, U.S. territories, and while traveling internationally for military members and federal civilians stationed within the 50 United States and U.S. territories. The contract will include a one-year base period and nine one-year option periods which if exercised, the total value of this contract will be $2,670,000,000. Work will be performed at various locations throughout the US and the percentage of work cannot be determined at this time. Work is expected to be completed by May 2025; if all options are exercised, work will be completed by May 2034. Fiscal 2024 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $21,000 will be obligated ($3,000 on each of the seven contracts to fund the contracts’ minimum amounts) and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Individual task orders will be funded with appropriate fiscal operations and maintenance (Navy) appropriations determined by the contracting officer at the time of their issuance. The award was the result from a full and open competitive solicitation with eight offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center San Diego, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity.

Marine Hydraulics International LLC, Norfolk, Virginia, is awarded a not-to-exceed $19,514,375 firm-fixed-price, procuring contracting officer modification to the previously awarded undefinitized contract (N0002424C4406) for the repair, maintenance, and modernization of USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) fiscal 2024 selected restricted availability. The scope of this procurement includes all labor, materials, supervision, facilities, equipment, production, testing, and quality assurance necessary to prepare for and accomplish the Chief of Naval Operations availabilities for critical modernization, maintenance, and repair programs. This contract includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $147,248,303. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, and is expected to be completed November 2025. Fiscal 2024 other procurement, (Navy) funds in the amount of $12,263,904 (66.4%); and fiscal 2024 operations and maintenance, (Navy) funds in the amount of $6,216,175 (33.6%), will be obligated at the time of award, of which $6,216,175 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

Colonna’s Shipyard Inc., Norfolk, Virginia, is awarded an $11,865,608 firm-fixed price contract to provide the management, technical, procurement, production, testing and quality assurance necessary to plan, prepare and execute all maintenance, repair, and alterations required to complete the docking phased maintenance availability onboard the USNS Prevail (TSV-1). Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, and will be completed February 2025. Fiscal 2024 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $11,865,608 will be obligated at time of award, of which $11,865,608 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured as a small business set-aside via SAM.gov with two offers received. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Seneca Strategies Partners LLC, Salamanca, New York, is awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (HQ003424D0005) valued at $19,000,000 to provide logistical support services to provide turnkey office solutions as well as related information technology, communications, and teleconferencing equipment. No funds are being obligated at time of award. The total, if all options are exercised, is $19,000,000. The purpose of this contract is to provide commercial items associated with the operation of an office or remote facility. The scope of supplies ordered under this contract includes signage and branding materials, modular sensitive compartmented information facilities, secure audiovisual and communications equipment, and all related supplies, components, and equipment. The work will be performed at the Pentagon Reservation, Arlington, Virginia. The estimated contract completion date is May 1, 2029. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

CORRECTION: The contract announced May 1, 2024, for Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland, (FA8819-24-D-B002), for $493,166,340 was announced with an incorrect award date. The correct award date is May 2, 2024.