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CCRI coming to Shaw AFB March 27-31

  • Published
  • By Capt. Neil Samson
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. – Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina will undergo a Command Cyber Readiness Inspection March 27-31, which is a thorough evaluation by the Defense Information Systems Agency of all network systems supported by the 20th Communications Squadron.

This inspection includes reviewing the command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence systems, or C4I, which support the 20th Fighter Wing.

It will be conducted at multiple locations throughout the base, and DISA’s end goal is to evaluate the security of these C4I systems. The base will be looked at for any network vulnerabilities, physical security, user education, and compliance with security orders and directives.

To that end, the men and women of the 20th CS are reminding everyone that they need help each day to continue to implement the practices learned in the annual DoD Cyber Awareness Challenge training. Those practices include:

· Be aware of suspicious email and web traffic;

· Never leave Common Access Cards unattended;

· Only allow properly cleared personnel into controlled areas if they have their line-badge properly displayed—no "piggybacking";

· Never use unauthorized Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices;

· Understand and implement a clean desk practice at your work station – label all media, protect PII, and secure sensitive and classified materials before leaving your work space unattended;

· Power on secure computers every day to ensure they receive all upgrades and patches needed to mitigate cyber vulnerabilities.

As the base prepares for this important inspection, the commander of the 20th Communications Squadron, Lt Col Joshua Close, reminds personnel that “this is not just a cyber inspection, but rather a readiness inspection that will affect the entire wing, and it is imperative that we work together to achieve success.”

With regard to identifying what the base can expect in the weeks leading up to the inspection, Close said, “base personnel can expect some delays in the processing and remediation of trouble tickets and new communications requirements; however, our teams will evaluate all issues on a case-by-case basis by assessing operational impact and applying the proper level of effort based on assigned priority.”

Overall, the 20th Communications Squadron is committed to achieving a successful rating during the upcoming CCRI. Close added, “leadership involvement is key to our CCRI preparation efforts, and we look forward to providing the wing and mission partners with the information and resources necessary to ensure success for Shaw AFB.”