...The stories made headlines. In one, insurgents used a $26 off-the-shelf
program to hack into videos from unmanned aerial systems, and in the other,
cyber attackers stole data on the design and electronics systems of the F-35.
And those were just the publicized examples of the newest field of conflict –
the cyber battlefield.
...Cyber attacks occur daily and include everything from hackers phishing for
personal data to state-sponsored espionage targeting military and government
networks. In response, the military established the U.S. Cyber Command and
is pushing to counter the threat. A big part of that is training cyber warriors.
...Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., is where the Air Force will send personnel
for initial training in cyber warfare operations. In fact, the Gulf Coast is a hot
bed for cyber training. It’s also home for intermediate cyber training at
Hurlburt Field, Fla., and the Navy’s Center for Information Dominance at
Corry Station, Fla.
...The importance of Keesler’s role is not lost on those in charge.
...“Everything that we do in the military as well as in our civilian life, hinges
around the data that’s going back and forth,” said Lt. Col. Scott Solomon,
commander of Keesler’s 333rd Training Squadron. “There’s not a single
mission set that cyberspace does not touch.”
...The 333rd “Mad Ducks” mission is to train the men and women who will
operate, establish, defend, exploit and attack in cyberspace. Plans are to turn
out each year some 400 of the “17 Deltas,” the designation for the career
field. About 20 percent will be doing active defense, exploitation and attack in
cyberspace, and the rest will be the cyber-savvy personnel that will set up,
operate, defend and maintain the networks.
Worldwide problem
...The scope of the problem is staggering.
...“Malicious cyber activity is occurring on an unprecedented scale with
extraordinary sophistication. Sensitive information is stolen daily from both
government and private sector networks,” said the 2010 Annual Threat
Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community.
...Dennis C. Blair, Director of National Intelligence, told the Senate Select
Committee on Intelligence in February that the nation can’t be certain its
cyberspace infrastructure will remain reliable during a crisis.
...“We face nation states, terrorist networks, organized criminal groups,
individuals, and other cyber actors with varying combinations of access,
technical sophistication and intent,” he said. “Today, cyber criminals operate a
pervasive, mature on-line service economy in illicit cyber capabilities and
services, which are available to anyone willing to pay.”
...The London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies warned that
cyber attacks could become a decisive weapon of choice in future conflicts,
and the NATO commander said the definition of protection of members
should include cyber attacks.
...During the Defending America Cyberspace 2010 Symposium in Colorado
Springs, Colo., Gen. C. Robert Kehler, Air Force Space Command
commander, emphasized the importance of training a new generation of cyber
warriors.
..."We must prepare our people," Kehler said. "We are preparing
communication fields with specialized career tracks and will continue to
educate our personnel."
...That’s where Keesler comes in.
The Keesler training
...The undergraduate cyberspace training program at Keesler is designed to
provide leaders and technicians for the cyber battlefield. Students learn how to
design, secure, access, exploit, attack, and defend multiple types of
communications networks: telephones, internet protocol, satellites, land mobile
radio, industrial central systems, integrated air defense, and tactical data link.
...“We’ve been teaching about the cyber domain for the life of Keesler,” Brig.
Gen. Ian Dickinson, commander of Keesler’s 81st Training Wing, said in an
October 2009 special report in the Harrison County Development Commission
newsletter, “The Communicator.”
...Communications, computer technology, air traffic control, and electronics
have been taught for years at Keesler, and the repackaging and expansion of
the courses form the core of a new undergraduate cyberspace training
program that begins June 22, 2010, and lasts 115 training days.
...“We’re going to be teaching people how to establish, operate, defend,
exploit and attack the cyberspace environment. It’s all about the integrity of
the data,” said Solomon. “We’re going to train close to 400 students a year.”
...That will include officers, enlisted, Department of Defense civilians and
international students. The breakdown is about 25 international students a
year, 35 civilians and 55 enlisted, with the rest officers.
...The international students will have an “off ramp” halfway through the
course because a top secret security clearance will be required for the
remainder. And while the military students all will be Air Force, that could
change.
...“Long term, I would say a year or two from now, we’re probably going to
see some joint partnerships, other services sending their people to our school
because of what the focus of our training is,” said Solomon.
...A key is the human element.
...“We not only have to guard our systems, but we also have to guard the
person in the chair. If you look across the nation and in the DoD, one of the
biggest vulnerabilities that we have is the person sitting behind the keyboard.
Because no matter how good the walls and barriers are, you get somebody to
open up the door and people are going to come in,” said Solomon.
...Adversaries are getting more sophisticated in how they get someone to open
up malware.
...“As a nation, we really need to raise the nation’s level of awareness of what’
s going on out there. There are lots of bad actors just looking for ways to
penetrate our computer systems and our networks,” said Solomon. And it’s
not just computers.
...“We run telephones now over the network. Virtually everything is
connected today,” he said.
...In a first for an Air Force initial skills course, simulators will be used in the
cyber training. In one exercise, for example, two people will be the blue team
defending a base’s cyberspace and two people will be the red team attacking
it. But installations can also be simulated.
...Those who graduate from the Keesler program will be called 17Ds, with
two career tracks.
...“The A shred are going to be those people that operate in the network or on
the network. The B shred people are going to be people that do operations of
the network, more of your traditional communications types of jobs,” said
Solomon.
...Once finished at Keesler, the A shreds will go to the 39th Information
Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., where they get their intermediate
network warfare training – their initial qualification training (IQT). From there
they go to mission qualification training (MQT), typically at their assigned
base. Once done they take a check ride so they are crew mission ready, or
combat mission ready. The B shred will go from Keesler to their assigned
base for IQT, MQT and combat mission ready training.
A new hot field
...In early January, Maryland launched an effort to become the center for the
growing job sector, billing the state as the logical destination for thousands of
new cybersecurity posts. Gov. Martin O’Malley said Maryland sees itself as
the country's "Silicon Valley of cybersecurity."
...Harrison County, Miss., officials understand the importance of cyberspace,
and have been actively involved in establishing a foothold in the field. In 2008
economic development officials proposed Keesler as the site for the Air Force’
s proposed cyberspace command. In October 2008 the Air Force opted
instead to create a numbered Air Force under the Space Command.
...Still, Keeler ended up with an important piece of the program through
handling training.
...There are the tangible benefits of having more students and more
instructors. Just within the 333rd Training Squadron there will be a steady
state student load of 100 additional people throughout the year. There will also
be 35 additional instructors.
...But the importance goes well beyond the hard numbers. Having the training
gives South Mississippi a crucial part of a field that will continue to grow. -
David Tortorano
April 2010
program to hack into videos from unmanned aerial systems, and in the other,
cyber attackers stole data on the design and electronics systems of the F-35.
And those were just the publicized examples of the newest field of conflict –
the cyber battlefield.
...Cyber attacks occur daily and include everything from hackers phishing for
personal data to state-sponsored espionage targeting military and government
networks. In response, the military established the U.S. Cyber Command and
is pushing to counter the threat. A big part of that is training cyber warriors.
...Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., is where the Air Force will send personnel
for initial training in cyber warfare operations. In fact, the Gulf Coast is a hot
bed for cyber training. It’s also home for intermediate cyber training at
Hurlburt Field, Fla., and the Navy’s Center for Information Dominance at
Corry Station, Fla.
...The importance of Keesler’s role is not lost on those in charge.
...“Everything that we do in the military as well as in our civilian life, hinges
around the data that’s going back and forth,” said Lt. Col. Scott Solomon,
commander of Keesler’s 333rd Training Squadron. “There’s not a single
mission set that cyberspace does not touch.”
...The 333rd “Mad Ducks” mission is to train the men and women who will
operate, establish, defend, exploit and attack in cyberspace. Plans are to turn
out each year some 400 of the “17 Deltas,” the designation for the career
field. About 20 percent will be doing active defense, exploitation and attack in
cyberspace, and the rest will be the cyber-savvy personnel that will set up,
operate, defend and maintain the networks.
Worldwide problem
...The scope of the problem is staggering.
...“Malicious cyber activity is occurring on an unprecedented scale with
extraordinary sophistication. Sensitive information is stolen daily from both
government and private sector networks,” said the 2010 Annual Threat
Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community.
...Dennis C. Blair, Director of National Intelligence, told the Senate Select
Committee on Intelligence in February that the nation can’t be certain its
cyberspace infrastructure will remain reliable during a crisis.
...“We face nation states, terrorist networks, organized criminal groups,
individuals, and other cyber actors with varying combinations of access,
technical sophistication and intent,” he said. “Today, cyber criminals operate a
pervasive, mature on-line service economy in illicit cyber capabilities and
services, which are available to anyone willing to pay.”
...The London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies warned that
cyber attacks could become a decisive weapon of choice in future conflicts,
and the NATO commander said the definition of protection of members
should include cyber attacks.
...During the Defending America Cyberspace 2010 Symposium in Colorado
Springs, Colo., Gen. C. Robert Kehler, Air Force Space Command
commander, emphasized the importance of training a new generation of cyber
warriors.
..."We must prepare our people," Kehler said. "We are preparing
communication fields with specialized career tracks and will continue to
educate our personnel."
...That’s where Keesler comes in.
The Keesler training
...The undergraduate cyberspace training program at Keesler is designed to
provide leaders and technicians for the cyber battlefield. Students learn how to
design, secure, access, exploit, attack, and defend multiple types of
communications networks: telephones, internet protocol, satellites, land mobile
radio, industrial central systems, integrated air defense, and tactical data link.
...“We’ve been teaching about the cyber domain for the life of Keesler,” Brig.
Gen. Ian Dickinson, commander of Keesler’s 81st Training Wing, said in an
October 2009 special report in the Harrison County Development Commission
newsletter, “The Communicator.”
...Communications, computer technology, air traffic control, and electronics
have been taught for years at Keesler, and the repackaging and expansion of
the courses form the core of a new undergraduate cyberspace training
program that begins June 22, 2010, and lasts 115 training days.
...“We’re going to be teaching people how to establish, operate, defend,
exploit and attack the cyberspace environment. It’s all about the integrity of
the data,” said Solomon. “We’re going to train close to 400 students a year.”
...That will include officers, enlisted, Department of Defense civilians and
international students. The breakdown is about 25 international students a
year, 35 civilians and 55 enlisted, with the rest officers.
...The international students will have an “off ramp” halfway through the
course because a top secret security clearance will be required for the
remainder. And while the military students all will be Air Force, that could
change.
...“Long term, I would say a year or two from now, we’re probably going to
see some joint partnerships, other services sending their people to our school
because of what the focus of our training is,” said Solomon.
...A key is the human element.
...“We not only have to guard our systems, but we also have to guard the
person in the chair. If you look across the nation and in the DoD, one of the
biggest vulnerabilities that we have is the person sitting behind the keyboard.
Because no matter how good the walls and barriers are, you get somebody to
open up the door and people are going to come in,” said Solomon.
...Adversaries are getting more sophisticated in how they get someone to open
up malware.
...“As a nation, we really need to raise the nation’s level of awareness of what’
s going on out there. There are lots of bad actors just looking for ways to
penetrate our computer systems and our networks,” said Solomon. And it’s
not just computers.
...“We run telephones now over the network. Virtually everything is
connected today,” he said.
...In a first for an Air Force initial skills course, simulators will be used in the
cyber training. In one exercise, for example, two people will be the blue team
defending a base’s cyberspace and two people will be the red team attacking
it. But installations can also be simulated.
...Those who graduate from the Keesler program will be called 17Ds, with
two career tracks.
...“The A shred are going to be those people that operate in the network or on
the network. The B shred people are going to be people that do operations of
the network, more of your traditional communications types of jobs,” said
Solomon.
...Once finished at Keesler, the A shreds will go to the 39th Information
Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., where they get their intermediate
network warfare training – their initial qualification training (IQT). From there
they go to mission qualification training (MQT), typically at their assigned
base. Once done they take a check ride so they are crew mission ready, or
combat mission ready. The B shred will go from Keesler to their assigned
base for IQT, MQT and combat mission ready training.
A new hot field
...In early January, Maryland launched an effort to become the center for the
growing job sector, billing the state as the logical destination for thousands of
new cybersecurity posts. Gov. Martin O’Malley said Maryland sees itself as
the country's "Silicon Valley of cybersecurity."
...Harrison County, Miss., officials understand the importance of cyberspace,
and have been actively involved in establishing a foothold in the field. In 2008
economic development officials proposed Keesler as the site for the Air Force’
s proposed cyberspace command. In October 2008 the Air Force opted
instead to create a numbered Air Force under the Space Command.
...Still, Keeler ended up with an important piece of the program through
handling training.
...There are the tangible benefits of having more students and more
instructors. Just within the 333rd Training Squadron there will be a steady
state student load of 100 additional people throughout the year. There will also
be 35 additional instructors.
...But the importance goes well beyond the hard numbers. Having the training
gives South Mississippi a crucial part of a field that will continue to grow. -
David Tortorano
April 2010
Aerospace/military
Keesler on ground floor of cyberspace
Keesler on ground floor of cyberspace
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