Cyber Security

Cybersecurity includes all those protective measures that ensure information and communications technologies are safe, secure and fulfill their role in supporting Naval Postgraduate School’s mission. At NPS, Cybersecurity includes an arsenal of next generation protective tools, complimentary best practices, policy, processes & procedure, overlapping rights, rules, & restrictions and an eager, enthusiastic, well-educated tribe of workers and users. Our focus is on a very basic set of information assurance principles:

 

• Confidentiality – Restricting information to those for whom it is intended. 
• Integrity – Ensuring the transmissions and messages aren’t corrupted or altered in purpose or meaning. 
• Availability – Ensuring information and services are accessible when needed.

All Cybersecurity protects or provides ‘CIA’ – Confidentiality, Integrity and/or Availability. Each one of NPS’s vast protective measures addresses some portion of the CIA triangle. Cybersecurity provides us knowledge, skills and tools to recognize attempts to breach our systems and to defend against aggressors.

Another important principle is a Defense in Depth strategy which leverages a balanced employment of People, Technology and Operations. As noted, NPS has robust technology capability and we follow policy and procedures in our daily operations. But the NPS computer users are the front line of defense. Managing and protecting identity and access controls, maintaining up-to-date software, familiarization with appropriate use guidelines and lab rules, and the development and practice of sound best practices, are all essential in protecting NPS IT systems from access by non-authorized users. Therefore training is crucial. Prior to users accessing any of the IT systems on campus, all must complete the annual DoD Cyber Awareness training. With the appropriate training, NPS technology users can safely and securely reap the benefits of our abundant information technology and communications capabilities.

More information about training and certification: Security Center (login required).

Ongoing NPS Cybersecurity events on the Security Center (login required)