Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel    
    
        Special Victims Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  Article View
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 Download
 Details
 Share
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 DOD Leaders: Redefining Cybersecurity a Priority for All By Air Force Master Sgt. Erich B. Smith,
                National Guard Bureau
 ARLINGTON, Va. – Cybersecurity is experiencing a dramatic transformation. What was once primarily the domain of IT specialists has evolved into a collective responsibility for all defense personnel. Each member now plays a crucial role in fortifying the digital realm against looming threats. “We have shifted from a mindset of cyber just being something on the side,” said Gurpreet Bhatia, the Department of Defense’s principal director for cybersecurity and one of four senior leader panelists who underscored the point at a recent National Guard Bureau town hall. “It drives missions and assures mission success.” Cyber defenders have traditionally focused on protecting vital military assets like fighter jets and satellite systems, said Air Force Col. Jack Johnson, director of intelligence and cyber effects in the Air National Guard’s intelligence and computers directorate. However, he highlighted an alarming trend in which near-peer adversaries and lone operators have broadened their scope to target military personnel. Johnson offered a poignant example, illustrating how hackers could target senior military leaders, potentially siphoning funds from their bank accounts and tarnishing their online presence through social media manipulation, impairing their ability to lead. “Just as we would look at what and who an adversary’s center of gravity is, they are doing the same thing toward us,” Johnson added. “So, we need to be aware of that and counter it.” Good cybersecurity habits, otherwise known as “cyber hygiene,” ensure external adversaries and insider threats don’t get a leg up on a unit, according to Leonel Garciga, Army chief information officer. “If you’re leaving your common access card [in a network computer] when you leave your workstation, you failed the test. If you turn on a secured network computer, open a window that folks outside can see in, you failed the test,” Garciga said. “It’s not defensive cyber stuff or next-level security. It’s what we’re supposed to be doing day-to-day.” Adhering to a routine, however, is not enough to support the warfighter, said Kenneth McNeill, the chief information officer with the NGB’s communications and computers directorate. Keeping a vigilant mindset and not being comfortable “every single day at every level” is “the way we do business,” he said. Even with the technological wonders that come with cyber, it’s leadership that’s going to elevate or jeopardize a cyber enterprise. “Do we need to have the tools on the network to do the things we do? Absolutely,” said McNeill. “[But] if you don’t have the tactics, techniques and procedures in place, and leadership doesn’t emphasize that, we’re going to have a problem.” The panelists also discussed enhancing global partnerships in the cyber battlefield to counter the actions of adversaries. “They are exponentially accelerating their speed of going after every single opportunity, every single vulnerability they can find,” said Bhatia. He noted that cyber warfare is a “global sport, so we need our allies and partners to be on board to defend this space.” This gets done, he said, with diversity of thought and trust among all cyber defenders. “Allies and partners really bring diversity in how we approach and tackle problems,” Bhatia said. “It all relies on building that foundational trust that we can operate together in a very safe, secure manner of sharing information and opinions.” Recent conflicts have highlighted the importance of cyber cooperation. “What we are seeing right now, whether we’re talking about Ukraine or Israel, is just proliferation of online capability,” said Garciga. “It’s starting to recast what the world looks like in terms of cyberspace and not just cyber hygiene.” Bhatia said raising and maintaining awareness about the global implications of cybersecurity through required training is paramount regardless of one’s position. “We live in a world where we need cybersecurity — from your PC to your iPhone, all your routers and devices you bring into work,” he said. For Bhatia, forums like the one he and other panelists participated in prove that cyber is no longer an afterthought in the defense ecosystem. “We are building a different culture now that demands cybersecurity is part of our normal, day-to-day conversation,” he said.
 SHARE
 PRINT
  cybersecurity
 National Guard Bureau
 
 Washington Guard Assists with Collegiate Cyber Competition
 By Joseph Siemandel,
  Iowa Guard’s 132d Cyber Range Hosts Training Event
 By Master Sgt. Michael Kelly,
  Guard Vice Chief Emphasizes Cyber Readiness During Maine Visit
 By Capt. Jon LaDue,
  More
 Louisiana National Guard Engineers Prepare for Deployment4/20/2024168th Wing Enables Fighter Support over Pacific for Agile Reaper4/19/2024Army Guard Elevates Disaster Response with UAS Training4/18/2024 View more Guard News »
 Pennsylvania National Guard Members Deploy to Africa4/19/2024
US, Canadian Special Forces Forge Partnerships in Jamaica4/8/2024
Deployed Pennsylvania Guard Soldiers Earn Their Combat Patch3/27/2024 View more Overseas Operations News »
 Wisconsin Air Guard Trains with Papua New Guinea Partners4/19/2024

West Virginia Guard Expands International Partnerships4/16/2024

Maryland Guard, Bosnia and Herzegovina Conduct JTAC Training4/12/2024 View more State Partnership Program News »
 Back-to-school tools for military families8/11/2015DoD sends blended military retirement proposal to Congress6/16/2015First employment symposium held for National Guard spouses5/11/2015 View more Family Programs News »
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil