Rise of the Cyber Wingman

[unhappycamper]

Rise of the Cyber Wingman
November 13, 2009
Air Force Print News

Every day, malicious code, worms, botnets and hooks attack Air Force computers hardware, software and the Internet. They infiltrate classified information and compromise national security. In response, Air Force officials are stepping up their mission to defend cyberspace.

Mission success is the goal of protecting networks from attack. In August, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz outlined steps Air Force officials are taking to centralize this mission. He said that those steps are just the beginning.

"To make significant progress we must also change the way we think about the cyberspace domain," General Schwartz wrote to Air Force members in a service-wide e-mail.

Cyberspace adversaries attack Department of Defense computer networks every day. They range from individual hackers, criminal organizations and terrorists to nation states. Though they aren't successful the majority of the time, they have stolen classified information from networks and computers, including future weapon systems, logistics information and Airmen's personal information.

The most common way of getting information is phishing. This attack targets the weakest link in network security: the user. It involves sending e-mails containing attachments and linked Web sites that appear legitimate. Phishing tricks Airmen into downloading malicious code which provides a door into that network or computer from remote locations. Phishing happens at work or home.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/air-force-news/rise-of-the-cyber-wingman.html