Mark Hartong

Dr. Mark Hartong currently is employed by the Federal Aviation Administration, US Department of Transportation as the lead cyber security engineer for the planning, development and implementation of information security requirements, standards, and architectures for the National Airspace System (NAS) Next Generation Air Transportation System (NEXTGEN). The NEXTGEN portfolio encompasses new technologies, airspace procedures, safety, and security standards across the FAA, other US government agencies, and the domestic US aviation community and their international partners.   He also is a member of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences promoting innovation and progress through fundamental research in transportation policy, communications, cybersecurity, systems engineering, test, and evaluation. 

Before joining the Federal Aviation Administration, Dr. Hartong worked in the Cyber Warfare Systems Group of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) providing systems engineering and operational subject matter expertise related to the acquisition and development of classified cyberspace operations capabilities including requirements analysis, architecture development, systems engineering, mission analysis, and cyber capability assessments for both defensive and offensive cyber warfare capabilities.  Before coming to APL, he was with the Federal Railroad Administration, US Department of Transportation as the Senior Scientific Technical Advisor where he served as the agency’s senior technical authority on the application of safety and security critical electronics and software for use in the railroad environment.   He also worked as a Staff Systems Engineer with Lockheed Martin Corporation providing systems engineering support for a wide range of classified and unclassified communications hardware and software development programs exploring state of the art communications systems and networking technologies.  Dr. Hartong retired from active duty in the US Navy as a naval engineering duty officer.  As a navy line technical specialist qualified in submarine warfare, he provided technical, acquisition and fleet industrial leadership to meet national defense needs of fleet units and their associated warfare support systems.  This covered hull, mechanical, electrical, combat and weapon systems as well as command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence systems.

Dr. Hartong received his BSc in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University with an emphasis in systems and computer aided design.  He received a MSc in Computer Science from the US Naval Postgraduate School where his thesis was analyzing the performance of the S-1 Multiprocessor at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in conducting spread spectrum signal analysis and detection for intelligence community applications.  He received a MSc in Software Systems Engineering, a graduate certificate in Information Security and his PhD in Information Technology from George Mason University with a concentration in Cyber Security and Cyber-Human Systems.  This encompasses computer science, software engineering, electronics/computer engineering, communications engineering, operations research, and security.  His doctoral dissertation was on Secure Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) Operations.  CBTC systems are cyber physical control systems that provide continuous, automatic train control, supervision, and operation.  Dr. Hartong is also a registered Professional Engineer, a Certified Information System Security Professional, and a Project Management Professional.

Education History

• BS, Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University
• MS, Software Systems Engineering, George Mason University
• MS, Computer Science, Naval Postgraduate School
• Graduate Certificate, Information Systems Security, George Mason University
• PhD, Information Technology, George Mason University

Work Experience

Computer Engineer, Federal Aviation Administration

Publications

Refereed Conferences

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel and Duminda Wijesekera “Communications Based Positive Train Control Systems Architecture in the USA” Proceedings of the 63rd IEEE International Vehicle Technology Conference, 7-10 May 2006 Melbourne, Australia

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel and Duminda Wijesekera “Communications Security Concerns in Communications Based Train Control” Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Computer System Design and Operation in the Railway and Other Transit Systems, 10-12 July 2006, Prague, Czech Republic

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel and Duminda Wijesekera “Use Misuse Case Driven Forensic Analysis of Positive Train Control- A Preliminary Study”, Advances in Digital Forensics 2, IFIP International Conference on Digital Forensics, National Center for Forensic Science, Orlando, Florida, Jan 29-Feb 1;2006 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel and Duminda Wijesekera “Key Management Requirements for Positive Train Control Communications Security”, Proceedings of the 2006 IEEE/ASME Joint Rail Conference, 4-6 April 2006,Atlanta, Georgia

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel and Duminda Wijesekera “Mapping Misuse Cases to Functional Fault Trees for Positive Train Control Security”, Proceedings of 9th International Conference on Applications of Advanced Technology in Transportation Engineering, 13-16 Aug 2006, Chicago, IL

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel, and Duminda Wijesekera “Rail Infrastructure Security for Positive Train Control Systems” IFIP International Conference on Critical Infrastructure Protection, Dartmouth College, March 19-21,2007, Hannover, NH

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel, Csilla Farakas, Duminda Wijesekera “PTC-VANET Interactions to Prevent Highway Rail Intersection Crossing Accidents” Proceedings of the 64th IEEE International Vehicle Technology Conference, 22-25 April 2007, Dublin, Ireland

Mark Hartong and Olga Cataldi “Regulatory Risk Evaluation of Positive Train Control Systems”, Proceedings of the 2007 ASME/IEEE Joint Rail Conference & Internal Combustion Engine Technical Conference, March 14-16, 2007 Pueblo, CO

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel, Duminda Wijesekera, “Investigating Railroad Accidents Using Digital Forensics” Proceedings of the IFIP International Conference on Digital Forensics, National Center for Forensic Science, January 28-31,2007, Orlando, FL,

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel and Duminda Wijesekera, “A Framework for Investigating Railroad Accidents” Proceedings of IFIP WG 11.9 International conference on
Digital Forensics, January 28 – 31, 2007, Orlando, FL

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel and Duminda Wijesekera, “Cryptographic Protection And Recovery of Railroad Event Recorder Data, Proceedings of the IFIP WG 11.9 International Conference on Digital Forensics Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan January 27-30, 2008

Jon Whittle. Duminda Wijesekera, and Mark Hartong, Executable Misuse Cases for Modeling Security Concerns, Proceedings of the 2008 International Conference on Software Engineering, Leipzig, Germany, May 10-18. 2008

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel and Duminda Wijesekera, “Integrating Secure Train Control and Scheduling”, Proceedings of the IFIP WG 11.10, International Conference on Critical Infrastructure Protection, Dartmouth College, Hannover, NH, March 22-25, 2009

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel and Duminda Wijesekera “Metamodels for Misuse Cases”, Proceedings of the ACM Cyber Security and Information Intelligence Research Workshop (CSIIRW09) Oak Ridge National Laboratory /University of Tennessee–Knoxville, Oak Ridge, TN, April 13–15 2009

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel and Duminda Wijesekera “Secure Rail Interchange Routing”, Proceedings of the 51st Annual Transportation Research Forum, Arlington, VA USA March 10-13,2010

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel and Duminda Wijesekera “US Federal Regulatory Oversight of Rail Transportation of Toxic By Inhalation (TIH) Material”, IFIP Working Group 11.10 International Conference on Critical Infrastructure Protection National Defense University Fort McNair, Washington, DC, USA March 14 – 17, 2010

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel, and Duminda Wijesekera “Positive Train Control and the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008”, Proceedings of the 2010 ASME/IEEE/ASCE/AREMA/TRB Joint Rail Conference, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL USA, April 27-29, 2010

Mark Hartong and Edwin Kraft “Jointless Track Circuits for Broken Rail Detection for use with PTC and CBTC Systems”, Proceedings of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association 2020 Conference, September 13-17, 2020

Mark Hartong and Edwin Kraft “Jointless Track Circuits in Complex Configurations”, Proceedings of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association 2021 Conference,, September 26-30, 2021.

Refereed Journals

Mark Hartong and Sandi Roddy, “An Information Theoretic Approach to Platform Technology Selection to Aid Influence Operations”, IEEE Systems Journal , December 2020

Mark Hartong and Olga Cataldi “Microprocessor Based Signal and Train Control- A New Regulatory Approach” Transportation Research Record, Journal of the Transportation Research Board, Issue 1943, Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC 20001 USA

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel, and Duminda Wijesekera,” Security and the US Rail Infrastructure,” International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, December 2008, Elsevier, Publisher

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel, Duminda Wijesekera, “Trust-based Secure Positive Train Control (PTC)” Journal of Transportation Security, December, 2008, Springer Verlag, Publisher

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel, Duminda Wijesekera, “Positive Train Control (PTC) Failure Modes” Journal of King Saud University – Science, Elsevier BV Publisher Positive Train Control (PTC) failure modes Journal of King Saud University – Science (2011), Volume 23, Issue 3 July 2011

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel, Duminda Wijesekera, Secure Interchange Routing Journal of Transportation Technologies, 2011, 1, 21-29 doi:10.4236/jtts.2011.12004 Published Online April 2011 (http://www.scirp.org/journal/jtts)

Book Chapters:

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel, Duminda Wijesekera, Security and Dependability in Train Control Systems, Vehicular Communication, Automotive and Beyond”, John Wiley, Publisher, 2010

Mark Hartong and Duminda Wijesekera, “U.S. Regulatory Requirements for Positive Train Control Systems” Railway Safety, Reliability, and Security: Technologies and Systems Engineering, IGI Global, 2012

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel, and Duminda Wijesekera, Transportation, Advances in Critical Infrastructure Protection: Infrastructure Models, Analysis, and Defense” Wolthusen et.al Editors, Springer-Verlag Publisher, 2012

Technical Reports

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel and Duminda Wijesekera, “Trust Based Secure Positive Train Control Interoperation”, ISE-TR-06-10, George Mason University, September 2006

Mark Hartong, Sandi Roddy “Cyber Warfare Systems Engineering: An Information Theoretic Approach to Platform Technology Selection to Aid Influence Operations”, AOS-19-0859, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, July 2019

Mark Hartong, Peter Greene, Jordan Thomas, Bruce Cottle, Phil Chimento and Triton Pitassi, “(U) NC3 Intelligent Control and Orchestration Architecture (Classified SECRET//NOFORN)”, AOS-19-1364, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, October 2019

Mark Hartong, Bryon Hartzog, Ms. Sandi Roddy, Michael Kramer, “Foundational Design Imperatives in Developing a Secure and Defendable Micro-services Enabled Unified Platform”, AOS-20-0381, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, March 2020

Mark Hartong, Byron Hartzog, Michael Kramer, and Sandi Roddy, “An Agile, Modular and Secure Platform for the DOD Enterprise (AOS-20-2012 ), Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, 5 June 2020

Masters Thesis:

Digital Performance Analysis of the S-1 Multiprocessor in Conducting Digital Spread Spectrum Analysis ( Classified SECRET), US Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA, May 1985 (Co-advisors: LCOL Alan Ross, USAF and CAPT Herschel Loomis, USN)

Doctoral Dissertation

Secure Communications Based Train Control Operations, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, May 2009, Dissertation Director: Dr. Duminda Wijesekera

Invited Articles:

“Eight Things Railroads Should Know About PTC Implementation”, In-Transit Magazine, Summer 2009, HNTB, Pub, Kansas City, MO

Grady Cothen, Olga Cataldi, Mark Hartong, and Yan Tse, “PTC-Ready to Go?”, Mass Transit Magazine, Dec 2007/Jan 2008, Cygnus Inc, Pub, Beltsville, MD

Mark Hartong, Rajni Goel, and Duminda Wijesekera, “Key Management Requirements for PTC Operations,” IEEE Vehicular Technology Magazine, Volume 2, No. 2, 2007

Mark Hartong and Jason Schlosberg, “Positive Train Control- The Ultimate Safety Tech Upgrade”, TQ- The American Bar Association Transportation Committee Quarterly, Vol 3, No 1 Winter 2010

“T-5 and Counting” Railway Gazette International, March 2011, Railway Gazette Group DVV Media UK, Pub, Sutton, London, UK

“Improving railroad cyber-threat resilience”, Railway Age, April 2019, Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp, New York, NY

Invited Talks

Changes and Impact -Standards for Development and Use Of Processor Based Signal And Train Control Systems” Proceedings of the AREMA 2005 Annual Conferences C&S Technical Conference – Chicago, IL – May 24,2005

A Practical Assessment of the Signal Product Safety Approval and Assessment within the FRA, Institute of Railway Signal Engineers Annual Conference, Grapevine, TX, May 27, 2008

PTC and the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, Institute of Railway Signal Engineers Annual Conference, Nashville, TN, May 18, 2009

Understanding the Federal Railroad Administration PTC Rulemaking, Parsons/Railway Age PTC Seminar for Small Suppliers and Small Railroads, Washington, DC June 15,2010

Improving Operations through Positive Train Control (PTC) USARail 2010, Denver, CO 13-14 September 2010

Implementing a unified plan for PTC implementation on your network, PTC World Congress Miami FL February 22-23, 2011 Global Transport Forum

US Regulatory Requirements for High Speed Train Control, SPAIN-USA: 2011 RAIL TRANSPORT CONFERENCE, Madrid June 17,2011, American Chamber of Commerce in Spain

PTC Implementation Issues, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Washington DC Feb 26, 2013

Positive Train Control Critical Infrastructure, 11th International Conference on Semantic Technology for Intelligence, Defense, and Security (STIDS 2016), Fairfax, VA

Positive Train Control- Full Implementation, 2018 American Public Transportation Association Rail Conference, Denver, CO

Professional Organizations

Phi Kappa Phi
Tau Beta Pi
Pi Tau Sigma