💡 What is CSfC and why is it important? 💡

CSfC stands for Commercial Solutions for Classified, a program established by the National Security Agency (NSA) to enable commercial products to be used in layered solutions protecting classified data in National Security Systems (NSS)¹². CSfC is an important part of NSA's commercial cybersecurity strategy to quickly deliver secure cybersecurity solutions that leverage commercial technologies and products¹.

CSfC allows U.S. Government customers to securely communicate based on commercial standards in a solution that can be fielded in months, not years². It also reduces the cost and complexity of securing classified data by using commercially available products that have been validated by Common Criteria Testing Labs²³.

🌐 How does CSfC work? 🌐

CSfC works by using two distinct CSfC-approved commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components to protect classified data at rest or in transit³. The components are selected from the CSfC Components List, which provides a list of products that meet the security requirements specified in the Protection Profiles (PPs) developed by the National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP)¹².

The components are configured and integrated according to the solution-level specifications called Capability Packages (CPs), which provide guidance on how to achieve secure data protection using commercial products¹². The CPs cover four types of solutions: Mobile Access, Multi-Site Connectivity, Campus Wireless LAN, and Data at Rest².

The CSfC solutions are registered with the CSfC Program Office, which provides oversight and support for the implementation and operation of the solutions¹². The CSfC Program Office also publishes a list of Trusted Integrators, which are companies that have demonstrated expertise and experience in designing, deploying, and maintaining CSfC solutions¹.

🛡️ What are the benefits of CSfC? 🛡️

CSfC offers several benefits for U.S. Government customers who need to protect classified data in NSS:

It enables the use of the market's most modern commercial hardware and software technologies within NSS, which can enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness².
It reduces the time and cost of acquiring and deploying secure cybersecurity solutions, as well as the maintenance and upgrade costs associated with legacy systems²³.
It increases interoperability and flexibility of NSS by using common commercial standards and protocols²³.
It fosters innovation and competition among commercial vendors, which can lead to improved security and performance of commercial products²³.

💼 Conclusion 💼

CSfC is a program that allows U.S. Government customers to use commercial products to protect classified data in NSS. It is based on the principle that properly configured, layered solutions can provide adequate protection of classified data in a variety of different applications. CSfC leverages existing commercial technologies and products that have been validated by independent testing labs. It also provides guidance and support for implementing and operating secure cybersecurity solutions using commercial products. CSfC offers several benefits for U.S. Government customers, such as faster delivery, lower cost, greater interoperability, and enhanced innovation.