New Navy Unit Fights Back – Cyber Attacks

By Kris Osborn

Data systems and other IT military tasks to further integrate with weapons, ships, subm…

Fire-control systems that track targets and launch missiles, manned-unmanned teaming between fighter-jets and drones, algorithms for F-35 “sensor fusion” or mini-swarms of integrated drones designed to overwhelm enemy air defenses – are all examples or larger weapons systems and platforms increasingly reliant upon computer systems.

Rapidly evolving cyber technology continues to expand well beyond computer networks, data systems and other IT military tasks to further integrate with weapons, ships, submarines and aircraft, among other things. Furthermore, ISR networks and weapons are improving their “networked” connectivity with faster digital processers able to shorten sensor-shooter targeting loops and improve electromagnetic warfare signals.

“Everything we do tends to involve a computer in some way,” Navy Cyber Security Division Director Troy M. Johnson said in a special exclusive interview.

While these developments might, quite naturally, seem somewhat self-evident, increased cyber reliance and connectivity has presented the US military with both significant advantages and some added vulnerabilities.    

As a result, the Navy is now aggressively working to implement or “bake-in” various advances and discoveries made by its Task Force Cyber Awakening – a special unit configured to address the massive extent to which networks and weapons systems are increasingly computer reliant, and therefore potentially more vulnerable.

Some of the Task Force’s key advances come in an area known as “cyber hygiene,” a process which includes strengthening passwords and other online measures to limit access to the right people.