WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Nearly every aspect of our lives is connected online. From sending a message to our doctor to work, we use computers and the web constantly to helps us manage our time and lives.
This online dependence has brought new challenges and threats. We have to understand these threats and know how to protect ourselves and our country.
"It's a known fact that the human error continues to be the number one vulnerability of Navy networks" said Jim Magdalenski, Director of the Naval OPSEC Support Team.
Between September 2014 and June 2015, there were 30 million known malicious intrusion attempts on Department of Defense networks.
Both civilian and military computer systems are under constant attack from a variety of sources. Adversaries use hacking, espionage, malware, viruses and worms to obtain personal information through emails, software downloads and social websites.
"What we all have to remember is that every Sailor is a cyber warrior," said Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. John Richardson. "Just like every Sailor is a fire fighter, every Sailor is a cyber warrior.... It just takes one person to make a mistake — that mistake can be exploited and the network can be severely damaged by one person's lapse in concentration."
Whether at work or at home, Navy personnel must remember that they are in the battlespace and are our first line of defense.
As a Navy, we continue to rely on cyberspace and this has increased the risk for cyber-attacks. Cybersecurity must be as much of an everyday priority for Navy personnel as any other aspect of their job.
We work in this battlespace every single day; human error has been behind nearly every successful cyber-intrusion to date; something as simple as opening a link in an email can bring down a network.
Don't be complacent! Your actions can either contribute to the defense of our network or allow potentially damaging security breaches.
The Department of Homeland Security has some simple steps you can take every day to help you stay secure in the cyber world. (https://www.dhs.gov/stopthinkconnect-campaign-blog)
-- Make your passwords complex. Create long, complex passwords that adhere to department policy and that include a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
-- Beware of phishing emails. Do not open emails, links, or attachments from strangers. Phishing attacks continue to be the primary threat vector from adversaries who use email or malicious websites to infect your machine with malware in order to collect personal and financial information.
-- Report all suspicious activity. If you notice something seems off or unusual with your computer, report it immediately. On NMCI forward suspicious emails as attachments to NMCI_SPAM@navy.mil.
We are in the battlespace every day, keep it safe.
To learn more about cybersecurity visit www.Navy.mil/cybersecurity, Navy.mil/OPSEC, and https://www.dhs.gov/topic/cybersecurity.