Future Program: Reclaiming Bus-based Systems During Compromise (Red-C)

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has issued a Special Notice for the Reclaiming Bus-based Systems During Compromise (Red-C) program, focusing on innovative cybersecurity solutions for compute components connected via communication highways. The program aims to develop advanced capabilities for on-system recovery from active cyber-attacks by transforming bus components into forensic sensors with introspection and peer component monitoring capabilities. Specifically, the research will concentrate on PCIe and CXL bus technologies, with the goal of creating distributed algorithms for attack detection and recovery. Preliminary research has already demonstrated promising results, including detection of 99% of ransomware and 92% of botnet denial of service attacks with minimal computational overhead. The Special Notice represents a forward-looking approach to enhancing cybersecurity in complex computing environments.

DARPA is encouraging potential contractors to form teams and prepare for the upcoming Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for the Red-C program. Interested parties are invited to submit teaming slides by January 23, 2025, to RedC@DARPA.mil, with the full proposal deadline set for February 7, 2025. The opportunity is classified under NAICS category 541715 for Research and Development in Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences, and PSC category AC12 for National Defense R&D Services. While there is no specific set-aside for this opportunity, contractors should be prepared to demonstrate capabilities in developing fine-resolution sensing technologies, creating distributed attack detection algorithms, and implementing online bus reclaiming and firmware retrofitting techniques. The eventual BAA will be posted on sam.gov, providing more detailed information about submission requirements, evaluation criteria, and specific technical expectations for potential participants in this cutting-edge cybersecurity research initiative.