Protected Distribution Systems Certification and Accreditation
This MARADMIN establishes policy and procedures for Protected Distribution Systems (PDS) certification and accreditation as the Marine Corps transitions to NMCI. All USMC organizations must ensure their PDS infrastructure meets certification requirements and complies with Joint Marine Corps and Navy Information Assurance standards prior to NMCI cutover, with activities responsible for funding required on-site inspections.
Issued: April 8, 2005
1. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO IDENTIFY A PROPOSED WAY AHEAD FOR USMC PDS CERTIFICATION AS WE TRANSITION TO NMCI. 2. BACKGROUND A. PDS INFRASTRUCTURE EXISTS TO TRANSMIT UNENCRYPTED CLASSIFIED INFORMATION THROUGH AN AREA OF LESSER CLASSIFICATION OR CONTROL. IT MUST PROVIDE ADEQUATE ELECTRICAL, ELECTROMAGNETIC, AND PHYSICAL SAFEGUARDS TO DETER EXPLOITATION. ALL PDS MUST BE VERIFIED TO BE COMPLIANT BY A CERTIFIED TEMPEST TECHNICAL AUTHORITY (CTTA) AND ACCREDITED BY THE SERVICE DESIGNATED APPROVAL AUTHORITY (DAA) FOR CONNECTION AND OPERATION. B. THROUGHOUT THE MARINE CORPS, CERTIFIED PDS INFRASTRUCTURE REMAINS A CRITICAL REQUIREMENT TO ALLOW FOR NMCI CLASSIFIED SEAT ASSUMPTION OF RESPONSIBILITY (AOR) AND CUTOVER. AS CITED IN REF C, THE USMC IS (FISCALLY) RESPONSIBLE FOR RENOVATING EXISTING PDS THAT DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE SECURITY REQUIREMENTS IN REF A. 3. POLICY A. TAKE REF A FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION. USMC ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THOSE IN NMCI CLASSIFIED SEAT AOR AND THOSE PRE-AOR MUST ENSURE PDS UNDER THEIR CONTROL MEET CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS PRIOR TO NMCI CUTOVER. ALL PDS MUST BE CERTIFIED AS COMPLIANT WITH REF A, B, AND C. B. FOR PROPOSED PDS DESIGNS AND IMPLEMENTATIONS, FOLLOW GUIDANCE CITED IN REF A. CURRENTLY, ALL PDS PACKAGES, EITHER NEW OR EXISTING FOR RE-ACCREDITATION, MUST FIRST GO TO THE MCNOSC FOR CATALOGING AND TRACKING PURPOSES. THEN TO SPAWARSYSCEN CODE 723. C. SEND PACKAGES TO MCNOSC FOR CATALOGING AND TRACKING PURPOSES. HQMC C4 IA AND MCNOSC WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FORWARDING PACKAGES TO SPAWAR. D. MARINE CORPS ACTIVITIES ARE RESPONSIBLE TO FUND ON-SITE INSPECTIONS THAT MAY BE REQUIRED FOR VERIFICATION. PDS CERTIFICATION AND ACCREDITATION (C&A) AND COMPLIANCE WITH REF A WILL BE ADDED TO THE IG INSPECTION PROGRAM. E. PROPER HANDLING OF COMSEC WILL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH REF D. 4. STATUS AND WAY AHEAD. IN PREPARATION FOR CUTOVER TO NMCI AND AS A MEANS TO EXPEDITE PDS CERTIFICATION, HQMC C4, MCNOSC, AND MARCORSYSCOM ARE FORMULATING A PLAN TO BRING PDS INSPECTION AND EVENTUALLY CERTIFICATION CAPABILITY TO THE MARINE CORPS. THE FOLLOW ON GOAL IS TO PROVIDE THE CTTA CAPABILITY TO THE MARINE CORPS. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, HQMC HAS DESIGNATED THE COMSEC PROGRAM MANAGER TO BEGIN CTTA CERTIFICATION TRAINING. ONCE A CTTA CERTIFICATION CAPABILITY IS ESTABLISHED, HQMC WILL JOIN THE DON CTTA GROUP IN PROVIDING PDS CERTIFICATION CAPABILITY. 5. QUESTIONS MAY BE DIRECTED TO THE POCS CITED.