Trusted CI Success Story Gemini Observatory

Trusted CI creates roadmap to ensure data integrity for Gemini Observatory

The Gemini Observatory IT staff members weren’t going to take any chances. After thwarting minor intrusion attempts into their infrastructure in 2015, they decided to contact Trusted CI to make sure Laser and star trails over Gemini North, located in Hawaii. they had robust systems in place to protect the research mission. available to researchers. We also backups, and cybersecurity training,” ensure we meet the IT standards explained Morrison. With two large ground-based required by the host countries, optical/infrared telescopes located the U.S. and Chile, and we handle Since there were not enough high in the mountains near Vicuña, technical support and cyber training staff members to execute all of the Chile, and Hilo, Hawai’i, the Gemini for observatory end users,” explained recommendations at the same time, Observatory probes the universe Chris Morrison, head of IT operations Morrison’s team created a weighted from the southern and northern for NOIRLab. scorecard and drew a water line. hemisphere. The duo telescopes Everything under the water line was provide astronomical research for One of the biggest hurdles to already in progress or didn’t need six participant countries, Chile, IT security, said Morrison, is the to happen right away. The water Brazil, Argentina, South Korea, remote location of the telescopes. line still guides the IT team as they Canada, and the U.S. In addition “Building infrastructure and getting decide what to implement next. to financial support, each country data to and from the telescopes is also contributes significant scientific complicated along with making Since the engagement, Morrison’s and technical resources. sure we provide system redundancy,” team trains staff and end users that said Morrison. “We want to make cybersecurity is everyone’s responsi- The National Science Foundation sure that the data coming from the bility. IT experts host cybersecurity (NSF) funds the U.S. portion of the telescope is what the astronomer is brown bag sessions and conduct Gemini Observatory, now part of the receiving, that nothing is affecting phishing tests. Those that don’t pass National Optical Infrared Astronomy the telescopes or control systems. get additional training. With so Research Laboratory (NOIRLab). The Integrity is vital. Our data must be many working from home during NSF also funds Trusted CI, the NSF confidential, reliable, and available.” COVID-19, observatory users are Cybersecurity Center of Excellence. much more aware of security threats. Annual attendance at the NSF The IT team at the Gemini Cybersecurity Summit prompted “We make sure our systems are Observatory has a far-reaching the observatory to work with Trusted available independent of events,” mission. “We protect physical access CI on engagements in 2015 and Morrison added. “Trusted CI is to the telescope domes and their 2016. “We got exactly what we a big part of how we do things now. controls along with the IT systems needed, a wonderful roadmap for I couldn’t be happier with the and infrastructure that guarantee how to proceed with policies, control support we got from Trusted CI.” the astronomical data is secure and systems, network redundancy, data

trustedci.org [email protected] @TrustedCI