Army hopes handbook will combat cybersecurity

A guide distributed to military leaders is the U.S. Army's latest scheme to combat cybercrime.

Military networks, core infrastructure and financial institutions are common targets of cybercriminals thanks to the high rewards financial and confidential information can offer. Last month, the FBI cleared a number of banking officials in order to share data on cyberthreats and help the financial sector defend themselves against the problem, and now the military is also extending its knowledge to try and ensure organizations adopt the necessary practices to protect their information and the U.S. Army network.

In a February memo (.pdf) mandating the need for information assurance and cybersecurity awareness training, Secretary of the Army John McHugh commented that the military "must change its culture, enforce compliance, and ensure that people are accountable for proper security procedures."

As a result, the new handbook is aimed at contributing to cybersecurity awareness training across all U.S. Army sectors. In addition, the military will be hosting the "Army Cybersecurity Awareness Week" from October 15 - 18 where commanders will train personnel and highlight the fact that if one sector fails to protect itself adequately, the entire network is at risk -- and therefore national security.

"Beyond required security training, we need you to make certain that all of your Soldiers, civilians, and contractors understand the threat they pose to operational security by not complying with IA/Cybersecurity policies and practices." McHugh commented.

Read More: U.S. Army

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com