VA goes departmentwide with security tool
The Veterans Affairs Department has hired the Harris Corp. of Melbourne, Fla., to provide network security departmentwide as part of a larger contract with Hewlett-Packard Co. The VA's Veterans Health Administration has already been using Harris' vulnerability management software, the company said Wednesday.
Harris will provide its Security Threat Avoidance Technology Scanner vulnerability assessment solution and its STAT Scanner Console reporting tool for use on all VA computers to help meet requirements of the Federal Information Security Management Act. By using the STAT products, VA's Office of Cyber Information Security has standardized its security policy across the enterprise. The cost of the combined security work at VHA and across the department totals more than $2 million.
The applications are designed to enable VA to scan all its networks and computers for vulnerabilities, and track the progress of the vulnerability management program through Harris' console reporting feature.
STAT Scanner is the first vulnerability scanner to be granted Common Criteria certification, which requires rigorous testing and analysis to ensure products meet strict guidelines and will not compromise national security. STAT Scanner also is undergoing Assurance Continuity to ensure that the certification is maintained throughout the product's life cycle.
About the Author
Mary Mosquera is a reporter for Federal Computer Week.