MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- During the month of November, most people want to spend time with family in preparation for the holidays and plan winter vacations, but for the 6th Communications Squadron at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, November brings an increased need for cybersecurity awareness.
“Cybersecurity is very important, especially in the military,” said Staff Sgt. Daniel Peterson, a cybersecurity technician with the 6th CS, “It helps to ensure the safety of deployed lives, as well as ensuring quick, secure, accessible, and reliable exchange of information for critical mission success.”
The Department of Defense relies heavily on cyberspace for daily operations, so it is crucial for everyone to understand their role in maintaining network security.
“It’s important that all members know they can help keep our networks secure and prevent security leaks,” said Peterson. “These things include, removing your common access card before stepping away from your computer, not disclosing any security weaknesses, and being aware of what gets posted on social media platforms.”
Now days, a lot of communication happens via emails and cell phones, transportation relies on navigation, shopping online happens with credit cards, and the list goes on. This is just a small example of the role cyberspace plays in everyone’s daily life.
“Cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility and it’s important on and off base,” said Senior Airman Patricio Sosa, a communications security accountant with the 6th CS. “There needs to be a safe and reliable way to communicate, especially to protect personally identifiable information.”
There are some risks when using cyberspace, but with everyone practicing cybersecurity awareness constantly, personnel can reduce and possibly eliminate potential security breaches from outside threats.