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The Cyber Space
 Welcome to the Cyber Space - where readers can find information of interest and cyber security tips provided by 24th Air Force and other government entities. The content is intended to be a "one-stop shop" of useful and educational links, stories and materials for both Air Force members and the public. All content is unclassified and can be shared with family and friends. If you have suggestions of additional, non-copyrighted content, please e-mail the 24th Air Force Public Affairs office at 24af.pa@us.af.mil.
The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by 24th Air Force, Air Force Space Command, the United States Air Force, or the Department of Defense of the external Website, or the information, products, or services contained therein. For more information, click this link.
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 Best Practices for Keeping Your Home Network Secure
This document is one of many the Information Assurance Directorate of the National Security Agency freely provides to the public outlining practical tips for improving the security of all kinds of applications, operating systems, routers, databases and more. This latest guide will go a long way in helping those who are interested to protect both their public and private networks. |
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Department of Defense Cyberspace Policy Report
The Department of Defense has delivered a report to Congress outlining the Pentagon's cyber security policy in accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act.
An excerpt of the report's introduction is as follows:
Cyberspace is a critical enabler to Department of Defense (DoD) military, intelligence, business and, potentially, civil support operations. While the development and integration of cyber technologies have created many high leverage opportunities for DoD, our increasing reliance upon cyberspace also creates vulnerabilities for both DoD and the Nation
 GAO Report to Congressional Requesters on social media use in federal agencies
GAO was asked to (1) describe how federal agencies are currently using commercially provided social media services and (2) determine the extent to which agencies have developed and implemented policies and procedures for managing and protecting information associated with this use. To do this, GAO examined the headquarters-level Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, and YouTube channels of 24 major federal agencies; reviewed pertinent policies, procedures, and guidance; and interviewed officials involved in agency use of social media.
 Congressional Research Service Report on Promoting Global Internet Freedom: Policy and Technology
This report provides information about federal and private sector efforts to promote and support global Internet freedom, a description of Internet freedom legislation from the 112th Congress, and suggestions for further reading on this topic. Two appendixes describe censorship and circumvention technologies.
 Congressional Research Service Report on Terrorist Use of the Internet: Information Operations in Cyberspace
This report describes the ways that international terrorists and insurgents use the Internet, strategically and tactically, in pursuit of their political agendas. This discussion covers terrorist information operations in cyberspace but does not discuss similar activities in other domains. The government response is also discussed in terms of information operations. Technical aspects of cybersecurity and network intrusion detection are outside the scope of this report.
 Congressional Research Service Report on Spyware: Background and Policy Issues for Congress
The main issue for Congress over spyware is whether to enact new legislation specifically addressing spyware, or to rely on industry self-regulation and enforcement actions by the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice under existing law. Opponents of new legislation argue that industry self-regulation and enforcement of existing laws are sufficient. They worry that further legislation could have unintended consequences that, for example, limit the development of new technologies that could have beneficial uses. Supporters of new legislation believe that current laws are inadequate, as evidenced by the growth in spyware incidents. |
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 Naval Postgraduate School Thesis on Optimizing security of cloud computing within the DoD
What countermeasures best strengthen the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the implementation of cloud computing with the DoD? This question will be answered by analyzing threats and countermeasures within the context of the ten domains comprising the Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP) Common Body of Knowledge (CBK). The ten domains that will be used in this analysis include access control; telecommunications and network security; information security governance and risk management; application security; cryptography; security architechture and design; operations security; business continuity planning and disaster planning; legal regulations, compliance, and investigation; and physical security. The results of this research provide a comprehensive guide for any DoD entity attempting to secure its cloud solution. |
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To provide cyber professionals relevant and current readings on cyberspace operations and theory, the Air Force Network Integration Center commander offers the following monthly book as suggested reading. The books suggested are offered to help cyber professionals see aspects of cyberspace from new perspectives. While readers may or may not agree with authors' points of view, the goal of the book of the month is to encourage thinking outside the average constrains of daily cyberspace operations.
Hope you enjoyed last month's book, The Innovator's Dilemma
October 2012The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation
By  Jon Gertner
A sweeping, atmospheric history of Bell Labs that highlights its unparalleled role as an incubator of innovation and birthplace of the century's most influential technologies.
Bell Laboratories, which thrived from the 1920s to the 1980s, was the most innovative and productive institution of the twentieth century. Long before America's brightest scientific minds began migrating west to Silicon Valley, they flocked to this sylvan campus in the New Jersey suburbs built and funded by AT&T. At its peak, Bell Labs employed nearly fifteen thousand people, twelve hundred of whom had PhDs. Thirteen would go on to win Nobel prizes. It was a citadel of science and scholarship as well as a hotbed of creative thinking. It was, in effect, a factory of ideas whose workings have remained largely hidden until now.
New York Times Magazine writer Jon Gertner unveils the unique magic of Bell Labs through the eyes and actions of its scientists. These ingenious, often eccentric men would become revolutionaries, and sometimes legends, whether for inventing radio astronomy in their spare time (and on the company's dime), riding unicycles through the corridors, or pioneering the principles that propel today's technology. In these pages, we learn how radar came to be, and lasers, transistors, satellites, mobile phones, and much more.
Even more important, Gertner reveals the forces that set off this explosion of creativity. Bell Labs combined the best aspects of the academic and corporate worlds, hiring the brightest and usually the youngest minds, creating a culture and even an architecture that forced employees in different fields to work together, in virtually complete intellectual freedom, with little pressure to create moneymaking innovations. In Gertner's portrait, we come to understand why both researchers and business leaders look to Bell Labs as a model and long to incorporate its magic into their own work.
Written with a novelist's gift for pacing and an ability to convey the thrill of innovation, The Idea Factory yields a revelatory take on the business of invention. What are the principles of innovation? How do new technology and new ideas begin? Are some environments more favorable than others? How should they be structured, and how should they be governed? Can strokes of genius be accelerated, replicated, standardized? The history of Bell Labs provides crucial answers that can and should be applied today by anyone who wants to understand where good ideas come from.
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Please click on the links below to get information on protecting yourself & your loved ones on Social Networks.
 Facebook  Google+
 Linked IN  Twitter
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 Why are network security warnings important?
Like the real world, technology and the internet present dangers as well as benefits. Equipment fails, attackers may target you, and mistakes and poor judgment happen. Just as you take precautions to protect yourself in the real world, you need to take precautions to protect yourself online. For many users, computers and the internet are unfamiliar and intimidating, so it is appropriate to approach them the same way we urge children to approach the real world.
What are some warnings to remember?
· Don't trust candy from strangers - Finding something on the internet does not guarantee that it is true. Anyone can publish information online, so before accepting a statement as fact or taking action, verify that the source is reliable. It is also easy for attackers to "spoof" email addresses, so verify that an email is legitimate before opening an unexpected email attachment or responding to a request for personal information.
· If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is - You have probably seen many emails promising fantastic rewards or monetary gifts. However, regardless of what the email claims, there are not any wealthy strangers desperate to send you money. Beware of grand promises--they are most likely spam, hoaxes, or phishing schemes. Also be wary of pop-up windows and advertisements for free downloadable software--they may be disguising spyware .
· Don't advertise that you are away from home - Some email accounts, especially within an organization, offer a feature (called an autoresponder) that allows you to create an "away" message if you are going to be away from your email for an extended period of time. The message is automatically sent to anyone who emails you while the autoresponder is enabled. While this is a helpful feature for letting your contacts know that you will not be able to respond right away, be careful how you phrase your message. You do not want to let potential attackers know that you are not home, or, worse, give specific details about your location and itinerary. Safer options include phrases such as "I will not have access to email between [date] and [date]." If possible, also restrict the recipients of the message to people within your organization or in your address book. If your away message replies to spam, it only confirms that your email account is active. This may increase the amount of spam you receive.
· Lock up your valuables - If an attacker is able to access your personal data, he or she may be able to compromise or steal the information. Take steps to protect this information by following good security practices. Some of the most basic precautions include locking your computer when you step away; using firewalls, anti-virus software, and strong passwords; installing appropriate software updates; and taking precautions when browsing or using email.
· Have a backup plan - Since your information could be lost or compromised (due to an equipment malfunction, an error, or an attack), make regular backups of your information so that you still have clean, complete copies. Backups also help you identify what has been changed or lost. If your computer has been infected, it is important to remove the infection before resuming your work. Keep in mind that if you did not realize that your computer was infected, your backups may also be compromised.
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 A vital element of the Department of Defense strategy in defending its information is the use of a common, integrated DoD Public Key Infrastructure to enable network security services through the enterprise. PKI is significant in implementing the DoD strategy to protect information assets.
The Air Force PKI System Program Office provides information products for all Air Force users to understand new initiatives taking place as new technologies are implemented to provide better protection to Air Force information. Linked below is information on current initiatives. For further information, you can contact the Air Force PKI Help Desk at afpki.helpdesk@us.af.mil.
 The Key to PKI: Air Force PKI Newsletter
Summer 2011
The Key to PKI is published quarterly with the approval of the Air Force PKI System Program Office program manager. The Air Force PKI SPO is the Public Key Infrastructure Section of the Information Assurance Branch, Cryptologic Systems Division, Hanscom Cyber/Netcentric Directorate, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
 Secret Internet Protocol Router Network Hardware Token Fact Sheet
A new smart card, known as a hardware token, is being evaluated for use on the Secret Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNet).
Similary to the Common Access Card, the SIPRNet token contains individual PKI certificates used for network logon, Website authentication, and secure e-mail.
SIPRNet Hardware Token Frequently Asked Questions
 Smart Card Logon / Next Generation Fact Sheet
Smart Card Logon / Next Generation is evolving technology that will empower most Air Force network users with the ability to log on to multiple unclassified Air Force network accounts with a single Common Access Card. |
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AFCYBER Commander's Highlights 
