What’s Going on With Military Cyber Security? CPT (r) Tyler Merritt November 2, 2016 Veteran Inspired 487 We live in a crazy world. And it’s getting crazier by the minute. The US has had quite a bit of recent issues surrounding network and cyber security. There have been issues brought up in terms of Secretary Clinton’s private email server and the transmission of classified material over it, all the way to the most recent cyber attack that utilized the Internet of Things — networks of devices connected by network to the Internet — to bring down some of the biggest online names last week. So what exactly is the federal government doing in regards to making these incidents a thing of the past? Well, let’s look at a few of them. 1. CYBERCOM to Become Full Combat Command? We’ve seen CENTCOM, SOCOM, AFRICOM EUCOM, NORTHCOM, etc — these have become readily identifiable command organizations that oversee military operations in their component regions in the world. It only makes sense that there should be one for cyberspace as well. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, is considering turning CYBERCOM into a full combat command, saying “It is time to consider changes to cyber’s role in DOD’s Unified Command Plan.” This is a pretty interesting development and we know that cyber security is going to be of the utmost importance as our daily lives start to revolve more and more around technology. Imagine, for instance, what could happen if a terrorist group were successful in hacking into essential networking systems. Granted, they could cause issues in safety functions on trains and other automated equipment, but they could also simply cause major problems for the civilian populace in general that would have a very heavy price. 2. US Naval Academy Breaks Ground on Cyber Security Studies Center One of the most important ways that our military can stay at the forefront of threats is to understand them on a practical and an academic level, which helps refine theories that strengthen our defenses overall through basic doctrine. The US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD is opening a new center where the next generation of Naval leadership will learn and master the basics and further our research into prevention. According to DCmilitary.com, the center will help to remind us of the importance that technology plays on the battlefield, especially in future conflicts. It will give Midshipmen the unique opportunity to hear from real-world cyber security professionals and also contribute to the body of knowledge that is so essential. 3. President Obama Urges Successor to Centralize Federal IT The Obama Administration has made a request that his successor move federal IT into one house in order to prevent the fragmented approach that most every department has toward IT. Defense One noted that the Office for Management and Budget’s cyber and national security unit’s chief, Trevor Rudolph, told an advisory panel that officials are putting together an official options paper for the winner of this year’s Presidential election. This is following the White House’s current guidelines for making all federal agencies across the board more efficient and secure. This details funding needs, administrative and human resource requests in order to ensure that the federal government is up to the task of defending our interests in the cyber realm. It’s a new horizon for the military. It’s exciting to see what’s coming up on the horizon on all fronts. Whatever we can do to better safeguard those we love back home and on the front lines ought to be done. Defending this great country is a mark of pride for us at Nine Line News — and we NEVER get tired of saying it! If you never get tired of broadcasting your love for this country, take a look at what we have to offer.
