NSA Releases Niagarafiles Flow Analysis Tool as Open Source

The National Security Agency announced the public release of a software tool called "Niagarafiles (Nifi)" that automates data flows among multiple computer networks, even when data formats and protocols differ. The code is being released through the Apache Software Foundation.

Nifi, which was developed by the NSA, is used to create situational awareness from flows of information coming from geographically dispersed sites.

NSA said that by releasing this technology as open source code will allow the private sector and others to examine the agency's research up close, and potentially benefit from it through additional enhancements and applications. At the same time, the government can gain from related research advances.

"NSA's innovators work on some of the most challenging national security problems imaginable," said Linda L. Burger, Director of the NSA TTP. "Their research breakthroughs often have broad, commercial applications, too. We use open source releases to move technology from the lab to the marketplace, making state-of-the-art technology more widely available and aiming to accelerate U.S. economic growth."

https://www.nsa.gov/public_info/press_room/2014/nifi_announcement.shtml