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- The military must establish globally consistent network security and privacy policy standards
Providing protection and centralization of the Army's computer
network system while also making connectivity and information accessible
to the warfighter is crucial in supporting military objectives, said
the Army's first commander of the newly stood up 7th Signal Command
(Theater).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LandWarNet
Brig. Gen. Jennifer Napper told an audience of information technology
employees that the 7th Signal Command is committed to providing and
protecting "one team, one network" and to being the pre-eminent provider
of LandWarNet, the Army's globally interconnected communications and
computing systems.
"This is a growing field ... We are about assuring maneuverability
through cyberspace" for the Army, Napper said. "You need to be able to
go unobstructed, unimpeded to the information you need to know. I'm not
sure we can guarantee that today on our networks."
Napper's comments were made April 14 during the ninth annual Redstone
Arsenal Information Security and Assurance Conference and Exposition,
hosted by the Garrison and the Aviation and Missile Command. The event
at Bob Jones Auditorium included about 550 participants and more than 30
exhibitors.
This year's theme was "Providing Electronic Force Protection for the
Warfighter." Topics during the conference included "How to Create
Synergy and Success with the Compliance Triad," "Hacking Techniques,"
"Cyber Counter Intelligence," "Transitioning to the Enterprise,"
"Securing Cyberspace for the 44th President," "Legalities of Cyber
Investigations" and "The Latest Internet Security Risks and Trends."
Napper spoke to conference attendees about "Defensive Operations in
Cyberspace" designed to protect the integrity of the Army's network
system. The 7th Signal Command, based at Fort Gordon, Ga., was stood up
in 2008 under Napper's command. Its mission is to centralize the Army's
network in one location and provide access to LandWarNet capabilities
that support Army forces in the states and in theater.
The idea of creating a command to centralize, manage and protect Army
computer networks first surfaced in 1999 as a result of concerns that
Internet warfare is a serious threat to the effectiveness of all
military branches, Napper said.
Computer hackers and viruses pose a real threat to Army networks, and
the Army is spending millions of dollars annually to protect against
cyber attacks, she said.
"We are working to defend these networks in a more active manner,"
Napper said, adding that studies are being done to determine "what it
takes to really invest in and have a true defense of our networks."
The military must establish globally consistent network security and
privacy policy standards and procedures to "dramatically improve network
defense postures. (In the Army) there are at least 20 commands who
think they own and operate networks ... We have a mess," she said.
With the use of LandWarNet throughout the Army and the Department of
Defense, standards and procedures will be in place, economies and
efficiencies will be realized, and joint interoperability will be
ensured.
"When we operationalize the network, we will eliminate existing network
capability gaps as units prepare, deploy and transition through all
operational phases," Napper said. "We've got to get to a point with our
network where we can be truly expeditionary ... We need to turn the
network into an enterprise. It's time to come together as a team and
make this an enterprise in support of the war fighter."
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