Government Computer News (GCN) daily news -- federal, state and local government technology; NIST puts money where the risk is
`
`Search GCN
`Advanced Search
`
`
`
` | Help
`
`Sunday February 8, 2004 | Updated 5:22 PM EST February 6
`
` Executive Center
`
` Columnists
`
` Products Central
`
` Site Map
`
` Events
`
` Subscribe
`
` My Account
`
`11/10/03; Vol. 22 No. 32
`NIST puts money where the risk is
`By William Jackson
`GCN Staff
`
`Printer-Friendly Version
`
`Purchase A Reprint
`
`E-Mail This Article
`
`Link To This Page
`
`Computer security, intelligent data searching and a personal wireless service are among 16 projects funded recently by the National Institute of
`Standards and Technology’s Advanced Technology Program.
`
`The program funds commercial development of products with potentially significant technical or economic impact that are too risky to attract private
`investment.
`
`The latest round of funding would provide $22.28 million if all projects carry through to completion. Those approved ranged from blade technology for
`efficient energy generation to virus-resistant tissue for skin grafts, but three focused on pushing the limits of IT.
`
`The Automated Knowledge Discovery System, being developed by InRAD LLC of Knoxville, Tenn., would automate searching and organizing of Internet
`content. Also participating in AKDS are Knowledge Based Systems Inc. of College Station, Texas, and Sarnoff Corp. of Princeton, N.J.
`
`“Intelligent search is a stretch,” InRAD chairman Richard Neal said, because identifying and labeling data is notoriously difficult at detailed levels.
`
`AKDS would require users to have an ontology, or deep semantic understanding, of the research subjects as well as a technology road map breaking
`down their organization’s goals and requirements.
`
`Intelligent agents would search using the ontology, and a kernel containing the technology roadmap would organize the returned data based on labels
`attached by the agents. The result should be a complete set of information about selected subjects.
`
`This research aid wouldn’t be cheap, however. “Every application will probably require a $200,000 to $300,000 investment” from customers, Neal said.
`
`InRAD wants to systematize development of intelligent agents so that customers can create their own ontologies and roadmaps.
`
`The Wireless Intelligent Personal Server, being developed by Rosetta-Wireless Corp. of West Chicago, Ill., would give mobile workers access to large
`files and complex data.
`
`WIPS would be a wallet-sized server carried by the user to connect automatically at 1.5 Mbps to an office network for e-mail and other files. Personal
`digital assistants, notebook computers or other devices could then access the data on the WIPS server.
`
`“You don’t have to wait for the file to download because it is already positioned,” Rosetta-Wireless vice president Keith Campbell said.
`
`The WIPS server would have a range of 30 feet to 50 feet, and it would encrypt and password-protect data during transmission and storage on the
`server.
`
`http://www.gcn.com/22_32/tech-report/24070-1.html (1 of 3)2/8/2004 6:00:17 AM
`
`Rosetta-2019
`
`0001
`
`

`
`Government Computer News (GCN) daily news -- federal, state and local government technology; NIST puts money where the risk is
`
`Government Computer
`News
`
`Subscribe
`
`GCN Management
`
`Print editions
`E-letters
`
`Upcoming Forums
`Recent Forums
`Government Links
`Resource Centers
`
`GCN Events
`PostNewsweek Awards
`
`Upcoming
`Recent
`
`Reports from our sponsors
`
`Maintaining the correct file version when several people are simultaneously using it is difficult, and wireless transfer needs improvement by an order of
`magnitude to make WIPS a reality, NIST said.
`
`“We’ve got the system pretty well-defined, and we’ve got a working demo,” Campbell said. Automatic fault recovery and encryption must be added, but
`“at the end of two years we expect to have a fully functioning device.”
`
`Bit 9 Inc. of Somerville, Mass., is working on a Computer Immune System to shield computers and networks from previously unknown attacks.
`
`It’s easier to describe what CIS is not than what it is, Bit 9 president Todd Brennan said. For example, CIS does not recognize patterns as antivirus
`programs do with known threats. Nor does it monitor code behavior heuristically.
`
`CIS “does not look for what’s wrong but instead focuses on a new definition of what’s right,” NIST said. As for how it does that, “We have to wait until we
`get the patents to go into it,” Brennan said.
`
`He did say that enterprisewide policy enforcement is involved. Technical barriers include ensuring that the program is stable, does not overburden its
`host, scales up to thousands of systems and is software-upgradeable.
`
`Each program has been approved for about $2 million in funding for two years. Continuation in the second year is in doubt, however, because the
`administration’s fiscal 2004 budget request did not fund the Advanced Technology Program.
`
`
`
`Free webinar: Secure, Web-based Collaboration for the DoD and Government
`February 11, 12:00pm EST Speaker: Jeff Thompson Tactical IT Integration Program Office, US Navy Find out how SiteScape Enterprise Forum
`7.0 1) Facilitates communication within/across agencies 2) Follows digital certificates/PKI standards and 3) Ensures single sign-on, secure access.
`
`Pass your next Federal Security Audit with an A
`The U.S. Marine Corps, National Park Service, Census Bureau, and many others use BelManage to automatically inventory and monitor their
`geographically distributed IT assets. Click here for our white paper.
`
`IT as a Utility - Recommendations for Success
`Enabling IT as a utility with a managed service provider is appealing because it can potentially give you more flexibility and better services at a
`lower cost. Click here for our white paper based on our experiences with EDS/NMCI, the USMC and GM.
`
`Secure, Air Conditioned Enclosure Ready to Plug and Play
`Do you need a server room but do not have the money to build one? Are you rapidly deploying technology and can not wait to construct an air-
`conditioned server room? The Mini Computer Room gives you a sealed, secure, and air-conditioned enclosure ready to plug and play. Visit to
`learn more.
`
`MicroStrategy Business Intelligence Software for the Enterprise
`Learn how MicroStrategy's easy-to-use BI platform can improve your advanced business management and advanced analytics. FREE Full
`Access to Our Award-Winning Software for 30-Days!
`
`Buy a link NOW!
`
`http://www.gcn.com/22_32/tech-report/24070-1.html (2 of 3)2/8/2004 6:00:17 AM
`
`Rosetta-2019
`
`0002
`
`

`
`Government Computer News (GCN) daily news -- federal, state and local government technology; NIST puts money where the risk is
`
`Home | About GCN | Contact GCN | Customer Help | Privacy Policy
`Careers | Editorial Info | Advertise | Link policy / Reprints
`
`© 1996-2004 Post-Newsweek Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
`
`http://www.gcn.com/22_32/tech-report/24070-1.html (3 of 3)2/8/2004 6:00:17 AM
`
`Rosetta-2019
`
`0003