Lt. Gen. Edward C. Cardon, commanding general of Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER) and Second Army, recently spoke at the Association of the U.S. Army’s Global Force Symposium in Huntsville, Ala., emphasizing the importance of cyber security measures in ensuring that operations, independent of the battlefield, run smoothly.
“Protecting and defending Army networks and networked systems, including our platform systems, is vital for future Army readiness, mission command, and our ability to conduct joint Unified Land Operations,” Cardon said.
While acknowledging the changes that the Internet of Things has brought to everyday life, Cardon stressed that it brings many vulnerabilities that could not have been foreseen. The technological landscape is always evolving, he said, and in order to keep up with it, officials and stakeholders must endeavor to stay up to date with the latest vulnerabilities and weaknesses inherent in any system.
“We build sophisticated vehicles, but if we don’t understand the vulnerabilities, then many of these efforts and capabilities will be significantly degraded,” Cardon said.
As the commanding officer of ARCYBER, Cardon also stressed the importance of cyber communications in field operations, adding that the rapid dissemination of information to combatants was essential to success in the new technological landscape.
“We know what needs to be done. Why wait for something bad to happen? Let’s act now,” Cardon said.