Cyber Test and Evaluation

A Mission Assurance Tool, Not Just a Compliance Requirement

Cyber threats don’t wait…and systems can’t afford to fail.

In today’s battlespace, attacks hit faster and with greater precision than ever before. Systems that can’t withstand them don’t just break, they compromise missions, put lives at risk, and expose national security.

That’s why cyber test and evaluation (T&E) is more than a compliance check. It’s how cyber teams build trust in critical systems before they’re deployed. And it doesn’t start on the test range; it starts with policy.

Policy as a pathway, not a barrier

Cyber policies continue to evolve as the U.S. Department of War (DOW) refines its acquisition framework through the 5000 series. Recent updates and forthcoming guidance, including the draft DOD 5000.UY Cyber T&E policy and the Cyber T&E Guidebook (Version 3.0, June 2025), outline both the requirements and best practices for integrating cybersecurity throughout the acquisition lifecycle, reinforcing the importance of building it in early, not bolting it on late.

Interpreting and applying these policies take experience. The most effective cyber T&E teams understand not just compliance requirements but the intent behind them, translating evolving directives into mission-driven actions that strengthen resilience and survivability from day one.

Astrion applies this same philosophy across its programs, helping defense organizations embed cyber assurance throughout development and testing. By pairing policy awareness with technical expertise, Astrion ensures cyber T&E serves as a catalyst for readiness, not a regulatory roadblock.

Policy sets the foundation, but practice proves performance.

From resilient to survivable

Cyber testing isn’t just about if a system meets requirements, it also must withstand, recover, and continue to operate under attack. Today’s defense systems span everything from IP-based networks and embedded systems to aircraft avionics, GPS receivers, radio equipment, and weapons platforms. Anything connected to the outside world is a potential target. Each component must be designed for resiliency and survivability.

Cyber resiliency is a broader concept focusing on an organization’s ability to prepare for, withstand, recover from, and adapt to cyberattacks to maintain operations. Cyber survivability is a more specific, often military-focused, application of resiliency that ensures a system can continue its primary mission despite being compromised or under attack.

The testing process begins long before deployment. Astrion’s cyber T&E teams start with documentation reviews, system diagrams, and configuration data to map likely attack paths and understand how the system is expected to behave. Once potential cyber risks are identified and corrected, cooperative testing known as white box testing is used to safely simulate adversary behavior.

The goal is to expose risk in a controlled way so programs can make fixes before fielding.

Laying the groundwork for resilience

Effective cyber T&E doesn’t begin with a tool, it begins with context. Before systems are simulated or scanned, evaluators review architecture, documentation, and design intent to understand expected behaviors and identify potential risks.

This early-stage work is especially critical for large, complex programs with diverse teams and cross-domain dependencies. Getting involved early helps surface weaknesses, reduce rework, and accelerate fielding.

The goal isn’t just to find flaws but rather to support smart decision-making early, when changes are more feasible and less costly.

Staying sharp as the threat evolves

Cyber threats move faster than traditional acquisition timelines. T&E processes must be just as dynamic, adapting with every update, configuration change, and emerging threat.

That’s why cyber T&E is not a single milestone. It’s a continuous effort that keeps programs aligned with evolving requirements and maintains system resilience over time.

Teams that specialize in risk-informed testing and real-time assessment play a critical role in this process. These are the kinds of efforts Astrion supports across a range of platforms, helping defense organizations anticipate vulnerabilities and improve readiness.

White box vs. black box

One of the most important distinctions in cyber T&E is between cooperative and adversarial testing.

White box testing is a cooperative process that evaluates cyber protections, identifies attack paths to critical data, and then assesses the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of that data to determine a system’s cyber resiliency—its ability to perform critical functions during and after a cyberattack. System owners know what is being tested and work closely with evaluators to interpret results, explore fixes, and stay aligned with evolving standards. This approach promotes open dialogue and builds shared understanding between testers and operators.

Black box testing, known within DOW as an Adversarial Assessment (AA), simulates realistic cyberattacks under operational conditions. While coordination is limited, system defenders are involved so they can observe, learn, and respond in real time. The AA gauges a system’s ability to protect, detect, react, and restore—validating its resilience and mission performance under representative threat activity.

Together, these complementary approaches move testing beyond compliance and into mission assurance, proving not only that systems can perform but that they can endure.

Proof through process

Cyber T&E enhances a program’s cyber survivability and helps ensure warfighters receive systems that can power through a cyberattack when it matters most. Early and continuous hands-on testing helps incrementally assess cybersecurity and cyber resiliency throughout development, allowing programs to adjust at the earliest possible opportunity. This reduces schedule and cost while increasing system survivability and effectiveness.

Delivering on that assurance requires more than technical tools. It demands domain expertise, policy fluency, and an understanding of how systems must perform when it matters most.

True success isn’t just about passing the test. It’s about ensuring systems are resilient, survivable, and ready for the mission. That’s the standard Astrion delivers to every mission.

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