RESTON, Va., Dec. 16, 2025 — SpiderOak, a leader in zero-trust cybersecurity solutions for space, aerospace, and defense, announced today that Red Cat Holdings (NASDAQ: RCAT), a recognized industry leader in advanced all-domain drone and robotic solutions for defense and national security, has selected SpiderOak to perform a comprehensive Blue UAS cybersecurity assessment of its Black Widow™ Short-Range Reconnaissance (SRR) platform.
As part of the Defense Innovation Unit’s (DIU) Blue UAS framework, SpiderOak—an official Recognized Assessor—will conduct vulnerability analysis, penetration testing, and Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI) evaluations to support Red Cat’s inclusion of the Black Widow™ on the Blue UAS Cleared List.
Strengthening Cyber Resilience Through Blue UAS Assessments
As a Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) Recognized Assessor, SpiderOak delivers a suite of independent cybersecurity evaluation services under the Blue UAS framework—designed to verify and enhance the cyber resilience of unmanned systems before they enter the Department of War supply chain.
For Red Cat’s Black Widow™ platform, SpiderOak’s team will perform a comprehensive Blue UAS assessment, including vulnerability analysis, penetration testing, and Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI) evaluations. These services provide critical validation that the platform meets stringent U.S. Government cybersecurity, supply chain, and compliance standards.
SpiderOak’s methodology integrates advanced threat modeling, secure-by-design analysis, and supply chain forensics to help partners like Red Cat meet or exceed requirements under NIST 800-171, NIST 800-53, and Executive Order 14028. Through its role as a Recognized Assessor, SpiderOak supports the rapid fielding of trusted, mission-ready systems that advance U.S. defense and intelligence operations across all domains.
Support for Secure All-Domain Operations
“Red Cat is an industry leader pushing the boundaries of all-domain defense operations, and the Black Widow™ platform plays a critical role in ensuring our warfighters maintain situational advantage,” said Michael Carlson, Senior Director of Business Development for SpiderOak. “Our Blue UAS assessment services are designed to deliver outcomes quickly for the warfighter—helping trusted partners like Red Cat validate cyber readiness, achieve certification, and get critical capabilities into the field sooner. By bringing zero-trust principles and a rigorous, data-driven assessment methodology to the forefront, we’re enabling faster, more secure deployment of mission-critical UAS across the Department of War.”
“Cybersecurity is foundational to trust and mission assurance,” said Jason Gunter, VP of Tech and Innovation at Red Cat Holdings. “Working with SpiderOak ensures that Black Widow™ not only meets Blue UAS standards but sets a new benchmark for how defense-grade UAS platforms should approach cyber protection and supply chain integrity.”
Enabling Secure UAS Integration into the DoD Supply Chain
This engagement reinforces the continued importance of the DIU Blue UAS program in accelerating access to secure and compliant unmanned systems across the Department of War. Through its role as a Recognized Assessor, SpiderOak supports industry partners in meeting stringent cybersecurity and compliance requirements while enhancing the resilience of command, control, and telemetry links across contested environments.
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