Sandia National Labs Academic Programs Collaboration Report

Secure JWICS intranet system will facilitate research

The recently installed Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System (JWICS) at Illinois will connect scientific minds. JWICS is a secure system of interconnected computer networks utilized to house Top Secret (TS)/Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and facilitate the secure exchange of data. Connections at a distance require a strong network such as the JWICS to allow researchers to reach across organizational barriers to think and work together, so it makes sense for Illinois, Sandia and other labs and universities to use JWICS as a means to securely collaborate. JWICS, operated by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), started as the core network for the military intelligence community to conduct intelligence operations, but many across organizations are now using it as their “daily system.” Since 2019, the Defense Intelligence Agency has been modernizing JWICS making it even more useful and efficient, so bringing it to

Illinois will enable their researchers to work more easily with entities such as Sandia. Illinois Senior Facilities Security Officer Mikel Storm provided more insight on the JWICS system saying, “The University of Illinois and government agencies have partnered to better support the increasing demands of the Intelligence Community in the classified domain. Illinois created the Security Management Office (SMO), a full-service operation with capacity to manage personnel clearances, facilitate classified contracts, and promote collaboration with other cleared facilities. The SMO manages the Special Research Facility providing the Illinois and government stakeholders with access to JWICS. This includes TS/SCI phone and video capabilities, JWICS email access for collaboration, and the ability to remote into shared resources across the United States.”

Illinois Senior Facilities Security Officer Mikel Storm worked with the teams to facilitate the installation of the JWICS system.

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Academic Programs