Strengthening its ability to identify and respond to cyber attacks on its networks, Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has officially opened the Corporation's second Security Intelligence Center (SIC) in Denver. The first center was opened in Gaithersburg, Md. in May 2008.

Operated by the Lockheed Martin Computer Incident Response Team (CIRT), these two, fully-integrated facilities serve as Lockheed Martin's focal points for computer network defense including detection, identification and response to all information security incidents. This is accomplished by bringing together three primary capabilities: pervasive sensors, data management and analyst collaboration.

"Traditional operations centers often respond to attacks at a micro level, mitigating a specific event at a specific point in time," said Anne Mullins, Lockheed Martin's chief information security officer.

"Our Security Intelligence Centers are staffed with cyber intelligence analysts who examine attacks at a macro level - breaking attacks into phases called the 'kill chain,' analyzing this data to identify patterns of persistent campaigns spanning multiple attacks, and implementing new mitigations to get ahead of the threats."

According to Mullins, intelligence analysis relies on complete and timely data. To meet this need, information collected by Lockheed Martin's diverse sensor grid of commercial off-the-shelf and custom-developed technology converges in the two SICs.

This provides the Corporation with a full range of vantage points to observe attacks, including: reconnaissance, intrusion, compromise, command and control, and lateral movement.

Both the 5,000 square foot center in Denver and 8,000 square foot facility in Gaithersburg are built to secure government and Department of Defense (DoD) specifications, and feature classified systems that are connected to information sharing networks such as the DoD Cyber Crime Center's DIBNet.

The centers include an operations floor, digital forensics area, secure evidence storage room, classified workspace, executive conference room and server room.