Assured Information Security (AIS) is pleased to announce that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued the company two new patents in October 2024, expanding AIS’s intellectual property (IP) and raising its portfolio to 24 issued patents with multiple currently pending.

“Expanding our patent portfolio is central to our mission of advancing cybersecurity solutions that can adapt to evolving threats,” said Michael Sieffert, Chief Engineer at AIS. “These new patents introduce breakthrough methods in malware prevention and data modeling. One patent enhances proactive malware defense by tracking process behavior, selectively presenting ‘canary files’ to suspicious processes and terminating them based on a malice scoring system. The second patent focuses on a novel approach to data modeling, enabling more precise feature selection through an iterative process that optimizes resource allocation. Together, these patents exemplify AIS’s commitment to building technologies that address complex cybersecurity challenges with efficiency and precision.”

Patent Details:

U.S. Patent Number: 12,124,568: PREVENTION AND REMEDIATION OF MALWARE BASED ON SELECTIVE PRESENTATION OF FILES TO PROCESSES
Malware prevention and remediation is provided by monitoring actions performed by processes and maintaining indications of which processes are trusted; selectively presenting canary files to these processes, which includes presenting the canary files to processes not indicated as being trusted and hiding the canary files from processes indicated as being trusted, and where the monitoring includes monitoring for access of canary files with change privileges; scoring each of the processes based on the actions performed, including any access of canary files with change privileges, which scoring produces a malice score for each process; and automatically terminating any process for which its malice score indicates at least a threshold level of malice in the execution of the process.

Invention is credited to AIS employees Sean LaPlante and Patrick McHarris.

Patent Details:

U.S. Patent Number: 12,131,230: FEATURE EQUIVALENCE AND DOCUMENT ABNORMALITY THRESHOLD DETERMINATION
A method includes, as part of establishing a feature merging threshold (α) for determining equivalence between two features, selecting a set of candidate α values, partitioning training data into a plurality of groups, establishing a model Wα for each α value of the set of candidate α values, iteratively performing: selecting a next group of training data of the plurality of groups of training data; adding the selected next group of training data to a training set; and for each α value in the set of candidate α values: training the Wα for the α value using the training set, and evaluating a size of Wα, the size comprising a number of features included in the model, and choosing the feature merging threshold α based on the iteratively performing.

Invention is credited to former AIS employees Daniel Scofield and Craig Miles.

To view the complete list of AIS patents, click here.

U.S. Acting Secretary of Labor Julie A. Su recognized Assured Information Security (AIS) as one of the 839 recipients of the 2024 HIRE Vets Medallion Award during a virtual award ceremony presented by U.S. Department of Labor.

AIS earned the gold award after applying earlier this year. The Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act (HIRE Vets Act) Medallion Program is the only federal award program that recognizes employers who successfully recruit, hire and retain veterans.

AIS joins 838 other companies from 49 states, plus the District of Columbia, who have shown a commitment to hiring veterans, but also ensuring that they have a long-term career and growth plan that uses the diverse skills they acquired through their military service.

Prior to joining AIS, Westerman most recently served as Senior Manager, LT Gen Vince Stewart Innovation Center at KBR in Columbia, Maryland. While there, he spearheaded strategic initiatives and drove innovative solutions in Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, 5G, Edge and Multi-Domain Operations.

Westerman holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Baltimore and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Analytics from Georgia Institute of Technology. His certifications include Project Management Professional, PMI-Agile Certified Practitioner, Executive Data Science Certificate and ANSI/EIA-649 CM Professional.

The UAS Hack, a hands-on event dedicated to exploring the intersection of cybersecurity and drone technology was held from August 19 to 23, 2024, at the ORION NTROPEE hangar and concluded with resounding success.

This weeklong challenge brought together 15 talented university-aged participants to tackle real-world cybersecurity challenges in the realm of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and provided a unique platform for these emerging tech enthusiasts to learn, demonstrate their skills and push the boundaries of innovation.

“UAS Hack has truly exceeded our expectations,” said Eric Thayer, Chief Engineer at AIS and UAS Hack instructor. “The 15 students demonstrated remarkable ingenuity and technical expertise, tackling complex UAS cybersecurity challenges head-on. Their ability to produce innovative solutions showcases the promising future of our industry. We are already looking forward to planning next year’s challenge.”

The event provided a unique opportunity for participants to immerse themselves in the practical application of cybersecurity principles within the rapidly evolving UAS landscape. By leveraging ORION’s hangar space and New York’s 50-mile UAS corridor as well as expert mentors and instructors, UAS Hack offered participants a collaborative and challenging environment to learn, innovate and develop crucial technical skills.

“UAS Hack was an incredible learning opportunity,” said Zack Kornreich, UAS Hack participant and current master’s student at Binghamton University. “The hands-on experience with UAS cybersecurity gave me practical skills that will undoubtedly add value to my career. The event pushed me to think critically and creatively, and I’m excited to apply what I’ve learned in my future endeavors.”

As the industry continues to evolve, events like UAS Hack play a critical role in ensuring that emerging talent is well-equipped to meet the cybersecurity challenges of tomorrow. The collaborative efforts between the 15 students, industry experts and sponsors have laid the groundwork for continued innovation and progress in the field of UAS cybersecurity.

Stalwart is a task order that is part of the larger AWARE effort, a $150 million, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract focused on researching novel and innovative anti-fragility concepts and integrating proven anti-fragility tools, techniques and processes into operational and emerging cyber platforms. AWARE is focused on delivering systems characterized by greater cyber resiliency and fewer vulnerabilities throughout the development life cycle, thereby reducing risk to mission systems and ensuring mission demands are met under an array of conditions.

“Stalwart is an exciting effort because it provides AIS the opportunity to continue its anti-fragility research, but now with a focus on cyber embedded systems,” said Salvatore Paladino, Director of Cyber Operations Research and Development at AIS. “Embedded systems are those that comprise the Internet of Things (IoT) and include devices from routers, to drones, to wearable sensors. There are profound opportunities to leverage these complex, interconnected systems to achieve military objectives, improve communications and operations and better connect military and civilian systems with the physical environment to improve quality of life, automation and safety on military facilities both at home and abroad.”

Work will be performed in Rome, New York, and is expected to be completed by July 19, 2029. The Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate in Rome, New York, is the contracting activity.

The SBA Mentor-Protégé Program is designed to encourage large businesses to provide various forms of assistance to eligible small businesses, promoting economic growth and ensuring a more dynamic and inclusive marketplace. Through this partnership, PAS will benefit from AIS’s guidance in areas such as business development, technical knowledge and contracting.

AIS, a recognized, local leader in the field of cyber and information security, will provide PAS with mentoring that encompasses a wide range of business and technical disciplines. This collaboration is expected to improve PAS’s operational processes and open new avenues for growth and innovation.

Get to know our Summer 2024 Interns! We’re thrilled to witness their growth, creativity and contributions to our mission.

Prior to joining AIS, Dailey most recently served as Senior Associate, Chief Engineer at Booz Allen Hamilton. Dailey holds a bachelor’s degree in Information Science with a minor in Computer Science from State University of New York at Oswego and holds the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) credential.

AIS is proud to announce its role in ORION: a technology accelerator and innovation ecosystem in Rome, NY, aimed at transforming military and cyber capabilities within the Internet of Things (IoT). ORION is a collaboration between industry-leading partners including AIS, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Information Directorate, Quanterion Solutions, Griffiss Institute, NYSTEC and Cisco.

In this position, Akers leads the shaping, pursuit and capture of business for AIS. He will work across the organization and support the various business lines in the identification and capture of new business, while working closely with the Business Development team to grow existing accounts.

Prior to joining AIS, Akers completed more than 20 years in the United States Navy, most recently serving as Director of Intelligence – MPRWS.

Akers holds a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management from the University of Arizona and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Villanova University. His certifications include Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace and Congressional Communications.