SpiderOak Accepted into Defense Innovation Unit's Blue UAS Recognized Assessor Program

SpiderOak authorized to perform cybersecurity evaluations on unmanned aerial systems (UAS) seeking compliance with US Government baseline requirements

RESTON, Va., Oct. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SpiderOak, a leader in zero-trust cybersecurity solutions and services for space, aerospace, and defense, announced today that it has been accepted into the Defense Innovation Unit's (DIU) Blue UAS Recognized Assessor Program. As a Recognized Assessor, SpiderOak is authorized to conduct cybersecurity evaluations on unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and related ground control platforms to determine compliance with US Government requirements under the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

This designation underscores SpiderOak's deep technical expertise and partnerships in cybersecurity. Leveraging SpiderOak's recently launched Tactical Edge Cyberservices, SpiderOak will deliver rigorous cybersecurity assessments that strengthen the resilience of UAS platforms and enable their safe integration into the US Government supply chain.

To offer the full portfolio of best-in-class services, SpiderOak has partnered with Ridgeline International, a cyber solutions and services provider to perform UAS hardware penetration testing, reverse engineering assessments, and subcomponent supply chain forensics involving country of origin vulnerability analysis among other subtasks as part of the SpiderOak Assessor team.

"Becoming a Recognized Assessor under DIU's Blue UAS framework builds on SpiderOak's mission to deliver uncompromising protection for our customers," said Kip Gering, CEO of SpiderOak. "As UAS become increasingly vital to modern operations, ensuring their cyber resilience is no longer optional—it is a mission requirement. We are proud to bring our expertise in secure-by-design systems and partnership with Ridgeline International to accelerate trusted UAS integration across the US Government."

"I'm proud that our partnership with SpiderOak enables us to make a meaningful impact on the security of US Government systems," said Erik Wittreich, CEO of Ridgeline International. "By contributing our expertise to the Blue UAS Recognized Assessor Program, we're helping to ensure these UAS meet the highest cyber and data security standards, protecting our nation's defense systems against technical surveillance threats."

Advanced Cyber Threat & Resilience Assessments

SpiderOak's Advanced Cyber Threat & Resilience Assessments (ACTRA) delivers comprehensive, threat-informed platform vulnerability assessments for tactical systems and components. For the Blue UAS initiative, SpiderOak will provide independent, technically rigorous evaluations of UAS platforms, including assessments of hardware, firmware, software, supply chain provenance, and ownership structures. This effort will ensure compliance with standards such as NIST 800-171, NIST 800-53, and Executive Order 14028, enabling defense and national security stakeholders to deploy cyber-secure UAS capabilities with confidence.

Enabling Secure UAS Integration into US Government Missions

The Recognized Assessor role is central to the Blue UAS framework, which certifies platforms for inclusion on the Blue UAS Cleared List. SpiderOak's participation will help accelerate the vetting process, increasing access to compliant and resilient UAS for use across intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and other defense missions. By bringing proven expertise from space and aerospace cybersecurity, SpiderOak is positioned to enhance the integrity of command, control, and telemetry links essential to UAS operations in contested environments.

About DIU and Blue UAS

The Defense Innovation Unit strengthens national security by accelerating the adoption of leading commercial technologies across the U.S. military. DIU's Blue UAS framework streamlines the certification of secure unmanned aerial systems for use by the US Government, ensuring platforms meet NDAA compliance, supply chain integrity, and cybersecurity requirements. Recognized Assessors conduct third-party evaluations that inform DIU's certification decisions for inclusion on the Blue UAS Cleared List.

About SpiderOak

SpiderOak is a 100% U.S.-owned and operated company dedicated to solving the computer security challenges of the 21st century. Our technology allows applications to secure all interactions between each other, providing strong assurances of authority and identity, as well as the flexibility to integrate with existing systems, software, and devices beyond centralized cloud services and data centers to the far reaches of the tactical edge. For more information about SpiderOak products, services, or business development opportunities, visit www.spideroak.com.

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About Ridgeline International

Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Tysons, VA, Ridgeline International is an intelligence and cyber solutions and services provider delivering broad-spectrum, multi-domain capabilities to address mission-critical challenges in information security, managed attribution, data privacy, identity management, data loss prevention, and physical and personnel protection for the US Government. For more information, visit https://www.ridgelineintl.com/ and follow us at https://www.linkedin.com/company/ridgelineintl/.

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SOURCE SpiderOak Inc.