EKMS (Electronic Key Management System)
Abstract
The Air Force Electronic Key Management System (AFEKMS) 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, with users across DoD Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) and all current AF weapon systems. Bases and units, in garrison and deployed 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 generation 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). Additionally, AFEKMS resources provide maintenance/distribution of AF Communications Security (COMSEC) publications for all AF users. 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). The AFEKMS Program continues to provide software development to support emerging requirements during the KMI transition period. Activities include studies and analysis to support both current program planning and execution as well as development activities to extend life of the Simple Key Loader to bridge the gap between EKMS and the KMI implementation. 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 can 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, 2016
- Source ID
- 674861_0303140F_7_3600_PB_2016
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