JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
This month marks the 13th Annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month, which is a collaborative effort to ensure everyone has the resources they need to stay safe when using the internet. This initiative was designed to engage and educate both the government and public users with the goal of raising awareness about cyber security.
Cyber security impacts everyone when it comes to accessing the internet, utilizing mobile devices, tablets, cloud-based services, smartphones, wearable technologies and even our personal identifiable information.
Since we live in a world that is more connected than ever, it is important to be aware of the increasing security risks due to these mass-linked smart devices; the so called “internet of things”.
This awareness factor is even more necessary when it comes to military devices and its networks. Users should be aware of online risks, i.e., email scams, social media postings along with how we connect to the internet.
Simply put, in order to promote an understanding of cyber security an increase in awareness is vital. .
“Cyber threats to our military networks are evolving every day as these attacks are becoming increasingly more sophisticated with their complex schemes against businesses and the public,” said Jennifer Lively, 83rd Network Operations Squadron associate director of the operations flight.. “It’s not enough for military network users to just annually train through computer-based training sessions. Users must understand what cyber security is, which means being vigilant, being educated, and along with being proactive with pursuing all possible best practices to assure missions operate successfully.”
According to Lively, if a user suspects something out of the norm, they should bring it to the attention of an IT administrator or leadership so an investigation can be conducted.
Our nation’s critical infrastructures include both the private and public sector, which are targeted by adversaries daily. Virtually every mission across the range of military operations depends on cyber security and every military affiliated member is tasked to defend and protect those domains.
At the Joint Base Langley-Eustis installations, both are full supporters of these types of initiatives especially when it comes to the security of networks’ and the devices used to support their military missions.
Over the years there have been more growing concerns when it comes to cyber threats targeting military communities along with the civilian sectors. One of those huge concerns are data breaches, which have resulted in the compromising of PII, intellectual property, intrusions into financial, medical records and government networks.
Something for the military community to think about is the security of our mobile devices when traveling.
It’s a known fact that military life involves traveling, most often due to temporary or permanent duty stations, tours of duty, training, leisure vacations and more. There is a need to understand and to be vigilant when it comes to traveling with personal or military issued smart devices.
For example when traveling, visits to a hotel, airport or even going to a bookstore people tend to randomly connect their mobile devices to wireless networks that has been labeled as “Free Wi-Fi” without giving it much thought.
The biggest threat that comes from connecting to an unknown or untrusted “Free Wi-Fi” connection is that it puts user at risk of being hacked. It gives the hackers the ability to position themselves between “us” and the connection point. So instead of talking directly with the hotspot, “we” are sending our information to the hackers.
To have a full understanding when it comes to a “Free Wi-Fi” connection or open wireless internet; means individuals can connect to a router, and potentially other devices connected to that router without the need of having a password; these highly unsecure networks are accessible to everyone. These are certainly the types of traps that cybercriminals can use because of the ease of access to target other devices on the network.
Once hackers establish a connection to their targets’ devices, they can obtain a multitude of information stored on those devices as well as to what is entered while the devices are in use. This data often includes passwords, names, addresses, credit/debit information, frequently visited websites, i.e., banking sites and many others. Most of the time, this information is enough for hackers to steal one’s identity; however, even if it is not, the information is sufficient for hackers to develop a spear phishing email specifically designed for the individual they are targeting.
Below are some simple actions to help prevent these types of compromises to personal or government devices:
· Always password protect devices, set strong passwords, and keep them private
· Disconnect from Wi-Fi when you are not actively using the internet
· Use free networks with the assumption any information entered could be seen by others
· Utilize data erasing programs to erase all data if the password is incorrectly entered too many times
· Utilize apps for smart phones that remotely lock the phone down
· Always ensure your antivirus is up-to-date
· Install a firewall on your device i.e., laptops, tablets, & phones
· Have all necessary software installed before traveling; avoid buying software in foreign countries
· Disable Bluetooth on devices before traveling
· Limit the amount of PII shared online and use privacy settings when using social media
· Be cautious about what you receive or read online and the potential for phishing and identity theft
It should be understood that cyber security is everyone’s responsibility. We are the first line of defense in protecting ourselves and our nation, so next time you are in a position where you might need to connect to the internet from a “Free Wi-Fi” access point; think about the security risks and if you are willing to take that chance. Take the time to implement some security features on your devices and be sure to keep those functions up to date.