EKMS (Electronic Key Management System)
Abstract
The Air Force Electronic Key Management System (AFEKMS) Program consists of multiple developments supporting the Air Force requirements portion of the DoD EKMS Program. (The National Security Agency [NSA] acts as the Executive Agency for the DoD EKMS Program.) AFEKMS, in concert with the overarching DoD EKMS Program, provides a secure and flexible capability for the electronic generation, distribution, accounting, and management of key material, voice callwords, and communications security (COMSEC) publications for the current generation of DoD Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) and for current generation of weapon systems. DoD EKMS replaced the previous manual distribution and management system providing cryptographic keying material for U.S. DoD Information Assurance. Information Assurance emphasizes confidentiality, access control, multi-level secure databases, trusted computing and information integrity. DoD EKMS has a three-tier hierarchical structure. This tiered structure provides capability to distribute, manage and account for COMSEC keying material. Tier 1 installations comprise the key material general and control capability. Tier 2 installations comprise the local distribution network (COMSEC accounts) and Tier 3 is where keying material is transferred from the EKMS infrastructure to the consumers End Cryptographic Units (ECUs). EKMS improved protection of national security-related information by substantially enhancing confidentiality, integrity, and non-repudiation characteristics over the legacy manual key management systems. EKMS has and continues to greatly accelerate availability of crypto key materials through electronic transmission through Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) versus the manual handling and shipping of materials. While the current EKMS level-of-effort is directed at enhancing current and developing systems, the ultimate goal is for it to seamlessly transition to the net-centric DoD Key Management Infrastructure (KMI), currently scheduled to begin in FY2012. The AFEKMS Program continues to provide software development to support emerging requirements during the KMI transition period. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development because this budget activity includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate production funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year. NOTE: Software development (e.g., Data Management Device - DMD, Common User Application Software - CUAS, and Simple Key Loader - SKL) is rolled up into Tier 2/Tier 3 Development. Software upgrades are able to be bundled and tracked as a unit, thereby allowing less management overhead and more focus on configuration management and control.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2012
- Source ID
- 674861_0303140F_7_3600_PB_2012
Related Documents
- Root: Information Systems Security Program
- Child Accomplishment: Systems Engineering
- Child Accomplishment: Tier 2/Tier 3 Development
- Child Accomplishment: Fill/Load Device
- Child Cost Item: 4b0b185559bf7e141dbf3e5f6aafc667
- Child Cost Item: 8b559703fb45c2b25eb35cf712b858a2
- Child Cost Item: ce77258c240bc080366de4020e3b0737