NCTAMS LANT Announces Completion of Successful Cyber Security Inspection

By Tim Severn, Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic Public Affairs

NORFOLK (NNS) -- Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic (NCTAMS LANT) announced March 27 that it successfully completed its cyber security inspection (CSI) last month, receiving one of the highest CSI scores to date.

NCTAMSLANT received an overall combined score of 83 for NIPRNET and SIPRNET enclaves, one of the best scores ever recorded for a Navy communications facility under phase III of the CSI program.

Long months of planning and preparation by NCTAMS LANT cyber and physical security specialists, led by NCTAMS LANT Security Manager Mary Carter, were successful in ensuring that information assurance (IA) standards were at their highest levels and thus able to meet any insider and foreign threat to security.

"With the overall goal of improved longterm DODIN [Department of Defense Information networks] security, and targeting the most pressing, near-term IA challenges, we tackled high risk systems by coordinating with and obtaining program manager support to correct security deficiencies," Carter said.

The inspection deeply tested the IA hardened postures that guard against foreign intrusion into classified and unclassified communication systems.

During a weeklong period from Feb. 24-28, a team of experienced U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. 10th Fleet (FCC/C10F) cyber professionals scanned, reviewed, and personally inspected NCTAMS LANT's communication suites, information assurance policies, physical security defenses, and cyber security work force personnel records.

Among the missions of U.S. Fleet Cyber Command is to direct, operate, maintain, secure and defend the Navy's portion of the DODIN. In 2011, it established the inspection program with the goal of minimizing vulnerabilities to attacks.

This inspection examines whether the IA posture is fully capable of withstanding threats that could compromise cyber security integrity and ultimately national security.

Command teamwork was the primary ingredient that contributed to the success of the inspection.

IA, physical security, and information technology specialists and planners, including Sailors and civilians, were integral to the effort. Careful alignment of the security and supporting infrastructure workforce was critical to the successful outcome of the CSI and to the command's continued proactive stance toward IA threats.

"This success is indicative of NCTAMS LANT's high state of operational readiness," said Carter.

Cyber security is essential in protecting critical communications systems and messaging that support Navy and joint forces operating worldwide. Failure could compromise NCTAMS LANT ability to deliver responsive, resilient, and reliable communications support for the warfighter.

NCTAMS LANT has set the bar high for Department of Defense communications facilities, ensuring IA integrity and compliance with the latest in security measures. The command was established to combine the traditionally separate responsibilities of message traffic handling and data information management. Today, this combination of communications and computer technologies is key to ensuring the warfighter has access to the right information at the right time.