Army Chief Information Officer/G-6
What is Cybersecurity?
October is Army Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to increase awareness of organizational cybersecurity practices and training that will help us improve the overall Army security posture.
Why is this important?
We live in a world that is more connected than ever before. The Internet touches almost all aspects of everyone’s daily life, whether we realize it or not. National Cyber Security Awareness Month is designed to engage and educate public and private sector partners through events and initiatives to raise awareness about cybersecurity, provide them with tools and resources needed to stay safe online, and increase the resiliency of the Nation in the event of a cyber incident.
Cyber attacks threaten the Army network and its information every day, putting our operations and people at risk. Strengthening Army cybersecurity is critical to all warfighting operations and business functions. Likewise, it is imperative for the Army to make certain that Soldiers, civilians and contractors are responsible for daily practices that protect information and IT capabilities.
What has the Army done?
In support of Army Cybersecurity Awareness Month, commanders at all levels have been directed to conduct cybersecurity awareness activities based on their FY Information Assurance (IA) Self-Assessments. Commands will address these activities and improved security practices in the following phases:
Phase 1: Leader Awareness
Phase 2: Individual Awareness
Phase 3: Collective Training
Phase 4: Home/Family Cybersecurity Practices
By mid-November, organizations complete an After Action Review (AAR) of their activities conducted for the month. Organizations also complete a survey to capture feedback on the value, benefits and continued improvements for Army cybersecurity awareness.
Resources for each phase of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and for use throughout the year, including the survey, are available on the Army’s Information Assurance Portal: https://informationassurance.us.army.mil.
10 Tips to Stay Safe Online:
Protect Your System:
- Use anti-virus software.
- Protect home networks with firewalls.
- Password-protect your wireless router and network.
- Regularly download security updates and patches.
- Disconnect from the Internet when not in use.
Protect Yourself:
- Back-up your computer regularly.
- Restrict access to your computer and accounts; sharing has risks.
- Delete email from unknown sources.
- Use hard-to-guess passwords and keep them private.
Protect Your Family:
- Help your family check computer security on a regular basis.
The first line of defense is YOU!
The cyber threat facing the Army is pervasive and increasingly sophisticated. Cyber attacks constantly threaten our network, information and personnel. Working together, we all play an essential role in keeping our networks, information and personnel safe from harm. Terms to know:
