Argonne National Laboratory’s Cyber Operations, Analysis and Research (COAR) group serves as a trusted partner to federal and state government agencies and provides insight into cybersecurity, cyber resilience, cyber-physical systems and cyber intelligence. 

Focusing on National Security

Through COAR, Argonne helps secure our nation’s information and systems with both defensive and offensive approaches. The innovative Darknet Weather Project produces daily metrics on Darknets. These isolated networkers use internet infrastructure to perpetuate large-scale cybercrime including money-laundering, drug trafficking and terrorism. The project provides national security experts with real-time information on the Darknet. 

The patented Multiple Operating System Rotation Environment Moving Target Defense (MORE MTD) helps researchers anticipate attacker actions via an active, moving target defense. America’s national security infrastructure relies on the Argonne’s Mobile Encryption Gateway to both encrypt and decrypt emails sent worldwide ensuring confidentiality, integrity and availability of sensitive information. 

Collaborating for Results

Argonne’s COAR, founded in 2013, grew out of the success of the laboratory’s Risk and Infrastructure Science Center. COAR seeks to further understand the complexities and intricacies of national security in the cyber realm. The center can do this, in part due to specialized resources available at Argonne. These include the Dynamic Application Rotational Environment (DARE) which rotates web applications across multiple attack servers. Our ongoing engagement in these areas with partners that include the Air Force Research Laboratory, universities and other national laboratories, creates a collaborative environment for success.  

Achieving Success

COAR, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Cyber Infrastructure and Analysis, developed the National Risk Estimate for the Darknet. This project helped establish COAR as the leader in teaching and illuminating Darknet technology for intelligence uses. Argonne provides large-scale risk-based training on the Darknet and internet infrastructure, among other topics.