Resilient Software Systems (RSS) Accelerator

Background
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is initiating the Resilient Software Systems (RSS) Accelerator program to enhance the resilience of Department of Defense (DoD) systems through the application of formal methods tools. The goal is to support formal methods tool developers in partnering with Defense Industrial Base (DIB) companies to identify and address vulnerabilities in critical DoD software systems, thereby improving security and operational readiness. Funding will facilitate initial assessments, tool applications, and follow-up evaluations to measure effectiveness, with findings contributing to the DARPA Guide to Formal Methods for Proposals.

Work Details
The contract encompasses several key tasks:

1. Conducting initial red team assessments of DoD systems to identify vulnerabilities.

2. Applying formal methods tools to these systems, including configuring necessary libraries and dependencies.

3. Executing a second red team assessment post-application to evaluate improvements in security and efficiency.

4. Documenting the entire process, including lessons learned and measurable impacts on security, development efficiencies, and cost-effectiveness.

5. Developing comprehensive security improvement strategies based on initial assessments and ensuring compatibility with existing workflows and legacy systems.

6. Creating a final report comparing pre- and post-implementation results, which will be included in DARPA’s Formal Methods Implementation Best Practices Guide.

Period of Performance
The program will be executed over an 18-month period.

Place of Performance
The geographic locations for performance are not explicitly stated but involve collaboration between DIB companies and formal methods tool developers.