The United States Navy is currently in search of private sector partners to collaborate on a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) in order to further advance its exclusive “PARANOID” blockchain technology.
PARANOID, which stands for “Powerful Authentication Regime Applicable to Naval Operational Flight Program Integrated Development,” is a blockchain-based system designed to safeguard software against cyberattacks during both development and deployment stages.
Invented and developed by the Naval Air Warfare Center’s Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) at Lakehurst, New Jersey, PARANOID was originally created to protect avionics software for the U.S. Navy. However, its potential for enhancing security in any software development project was soon realized.
The primary function of PARANOID is to ensure the security of software throughout its entire development process by verifying files across multiple nodes at each step through the use of blockchain technology. Every action taken by a developer is recorded as an entry on the PARANOID blockchain, creating a transparent and tamper-proof ledger of activity.
If malicious individuals attempt to tamper with or compromise software during development by altering, replacing, or deleting code or files, these changes will be unable to pass verification against the immutable database on the PARANOID blockchain.
According to a blog post by TechLink, the U.S. Department of Defense’s technology transfer partner, the U.S. Navy is now offering the PARANOID system to private sector entities interested in contributing to its research and further development.
Nida Shaikh, Senior Technology Manager at TechLink, commented on this development, stating that while PARANOID seems to be the first blockchain invention from the U.S. Navy to be commercialized, it is not the military’s initial venture into this technology. Previously, both the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy have entered into agreements with SIMBA Chain, a data exchange startup incubated at Notre-Dame University, which utilizes blockchain technology to secure supply lines.
In related news, the U.S. Navy has recently awarded a $1.5 million contract for a jet fighter project to a blockchain initiative.