Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Airmen from the 482nd Fighter Wing examine ways to prevent malware from coming onto aircraft at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., Nov. 15, 2016. The 482nd Communications Squadron ext pathfinder units are looking at ways to integrate defensive cyber operations concepts into their Wings’ core mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Desiree W. Moye )Base level cyber squadron takes flight
                        
                        
                        Airmen from the 482nd Fighter Wing examine ways to prevent malware from coming onto aircraft at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., Nov. 15, 2016. The 482nd Communications Squadron pathfinder units are looking at ways to integrate defensive cyber operations concepts into their wings’ core mission. (U.S. Air Force photo/Desiree W. Moye )
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Base level cyber squadron takes flightPublished Nov. 29, 2016
                    
                    By 482nd Communications Squadron
            **HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) --**It’s commonly understood that Airmen operate now in a cyber contested environment. Cyberattacks and persistent malware have become so frequent, widespread, and advanced that they now pose a threat to Air Force core missions beyond what national level cyber protection teams can cover and defend against.In April, communications squadrons across the Air Force were tasked by their respective major commands to be pathfinder units in what has become known as the “Cyber Squadron Initiative” construct. This is meant to be a transition effort toward a new cyber unit that integrates defensive cyber operations concepts toward protecting the five core Air Force missions at the base level.The pathfinder units were met with the first achievements under the new concept.A recent rash of malware struck bases across the Air Force in October, causing national level cyber protection teams to fan out to several bases in search of a root cause. One base they didn’t need to visit was the 482nd Fighter Wing at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida, one of the pathfinder units.“Our mission defense team took notice of the intel traffic happening at other bases, and used their new cyber skills to compare what was happening across the Air Force against our own systems here at Homestead,” said Maj. Michael Wells, the 482nd Communications Squadron commander. What they found was that similar malware was indeed infecting their systems and that it was coming dangerously close to the jets themselves. They employed the procedures taught by Air Force Cyber Command and used by cyber protection teams to contain the malware, while tightening procedures to prevent further infection. The corrective actions put in place by the base level team directly emulate the actions to be taken by a national level team.Since the systems used to load data onto the jets are stand-alone computers, the traditional base communications squadron without a mission defense team would likely not be alerted to the issue. Only after repeated dangerous cyber incidents and a several cyber protection team visits would a long-term solution be implemented. “A base level mission defense team can’t do everything that a national cyber protection team can, but we have enough of their capabilities now to start being proactive in our mission defense,” Wells said. “Our base has a team now that can network with other pathfinder units to determine where to put our emphasis and react quickly.” Through coordination with the Office of Information Dominance at Headquarters Air Force, pathfinder units are quickly gaining the skills, tools, and capabilities to deliver active cyber defense to their wings on an ongoing basis.As pathfinder units continue to develop their capabilities, scarce resources used by the cyber protection team can be freed to focus on national level operations. If the Cyber Squadron Initiative pathfinder effort proves successful, then it is likely that traditional base communications squadrons across the Air Force will convert to cyber squadrons with the aim of providing mission assurance to their base.cyberattack 



Homestead ARB 



cyber Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF Kendall visits Bangor ANG Base
                    
                    Vice President Harris congratulates USAFA Class of ‘24
                    
                    Senate confirms Melissa Dalton as next Under Secretary of the Air Force
                    
                    ‘One Team, One Fight’: SecAF visits Keesler AFB
                    
                    SecAF Kendall experiences VISTA of future flight test at Edwards AFBInnovation
                AFSFC reaches final phase of fielding Model Defender gear
                    
                    Around the Air Force: PCS Allowances, Air Task Forces, All-Volunteer Force
                    
                    AFIMSC focuses I-WEPTAC topics on GPC solutions
                    
                    Optimizing AI, Air University hosts Artificial Intelligence Symposium
                    
                    AFIMSC tools deliver data-driven solutions across DAFMAJCOM News
                AFMC to expand AcqDemo workforce
                    
                    AFMC empowers small businesses for Air Force reoptimization
                    
                    Acquisition Instructor Course Class 25A open for nominations
                    
                    Air Guard leaders host 2024 Wing Leader Conference
                    
                    Referral bonuses aim to help fill mission-critical vacancies
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil