AUSTIN, Texas — An Austin software company has signed a $1 million contract to help the U.S. Air Force and government agencies defend against online attacks.
The agreement means that 21st Century Technologies Inc. will use its software to help military and government officials analyze such attacks. The company's software, known as Lynxeon, uses data from attacks and other sources to spot patterns in order to identify anomalies, methods of attack and future targets, CEO Irene Williams said.
"The scale of the problem is critical and urgent, especially considering how ubiquitous and powerful the Internet is," Williams said.
The effort will be based at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, which recently was named the probable location of the Air Force's cyber command headquarters.
Williams said the contract will generate 20 to 100 new jobs in Austin and San Antonio.
"This is a new battlefront for us, and we feel ... very fortunate to be at the forefront of this area," she said.
Founded by two scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 21st Century Technologies has about 90 employees and offices in Austin, San Antonio and Washington, D.C.
Its 2008 revenues were about $10 million, according to the company, and its customers include the Navy, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the Secretary of Defense and the Homeland Security Agency.
Online attackers made news this month after a widespread attack that began July 4 knocked out the Web sites of several government agencies, including some that fight cybercrime.
The Treasury Department, Secret Service, Federal Trade Commission and Transportation Department Web sites were all down at varying points over the holiday weekend and into the following week, officials said.
Such attacks can be devastating, Williams said. They can dismantle an organization's operations if the attacker is able to interrupt communications.
"The reality is that there are hundreds of attacks that occur on public and private networks every day," Williams said.
Brian Gaar writes for the Austin American-Statesman. E-mail: bgaar(at)statesman.com.