DISA's Zero-Trust Transformation Takes Major Step Forward
Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) personnel have proclaimed that their zero-trust architecture has successfully passed every key zero-trust activity.
The development marks a major milestone in the agency’s goal to transition over to zero-trust architecture, “a substantial shift for the Department of Defense (DOD),” according to DISA officials. The announcement comes after the zero-trust framework, known as Thunderdome, endured testing that was administered by officials with several groups, including red teams and third parties.
More specifically, the Thunderdome architecture hit on 152 out of 152 key zero-trust exercises, according to Christopher Barnhurst, deputy director of DISA. And as Barnhurst suggested, this project started as an idea marked down on a whiteboard that was turned into reality with the help of dedicated team members and their willingness to work together.
“And the key point in all of that is we went from a concept on a whiteboard, quite literally, to articulating that concept, that vision, to this forum, to then partnering with a number of industry partners in the room here,” Barnhurst said at TechNet Cyber 2025 in Baltimore. “Dozens of products that are integrated into that design [were provided by our industry partners], and that is now real, and it’s real two years ahead of when the DOD chief information officer said it has to be real for the department.”
“That, to me, is the power of this forum and what we can do when we work together as a team,” Barnhurst added.
DISA officials stressed the importance of Thunderdome and its groundbreaking role in the future of the cybersecurity and network infrastructure realms. In fact, the new zero-trust architecture is reshaping how defense officials are addressing the cybersecurity and network infrastructure fields while providing a safer, more secure digital environment for DOD personnel, according to DISA officials.
That, to me, is the power of this forum and what we can do when we work together as a team.
Thunderdome offers several features and benefits to the digital space, including adherence to federal mandates and an evolved zero-trust compliance while also revolutionizing interoperability and command, according to DISA officials.
Furthermore, Thunderdome has proven to help several different groups and agencies in addition to DISA, including DOD Network customers and officials with the U.S. Coast Guard, according to Barnhurst.
TechNet Cyber is organized by AFCEA International. SIGNAL Media is the official media of AFCEA International.
