Scott gears up for cyber inspection Published July 27, 2011 By Samantha Crane 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs Scott Air Force Base, Ill. -- Scott Air Force Base will undergo a Command Cyber Readiness Inspection Aug. 1-5, conducted by the Defense Information Systems Agency. The CCRI is a technical and operational inspection that takes a close look at the base's information assurance and computer network defense policies to ensure they are functioning properly and are compliant with Air Force standards. The inspection team will be looking for deficiencies and vulnerabilities in both the physical and virtual areas of the 375th Air Mobility Wing along with most of the other agencies and tenant units on base. "If it is found that our network is unsecure, we have too much vulnerability or there is too much deviation from standards, our network will be disconnected and we will no longer have communications with the rest of the Air Force or Department of Defense until we are compliant again," said 2nd Lt. Thomas Shew, 375th Communications Squadron cyber control flight deputy. Vulnerabilities are classified into three categories. CAT I covers any vulnerabilities in which a total loss of information or immediate access into a machine is possible. CAT II risks include those in which an intruder can easily gain access or circumvent security controls. Finally, CAT III covers anything that could lead to a compromise or unauthorized access. The inspection team has the option of going into specific work areas, so being mindful of security during this time is especially important. "The best thing people can do in preparation is to be security minded at all times," said Shew. "Always have Operations Security and Information Security in the back of your mind." Other key things to remember are to never leave Common Access Cards unattended, don't save passwords on the computer or write them down, don't plug unauthorized personal electronic devices into the computer and be mindful of physical security such as keeping classified information secured and completing end-of-day security checks. Also, Team Scott members should log off the computers each night without shutting them down as patches and updates are loaded after hours and keeping the computer locked or off will prevent the system from processing these updates. Col. Michael Hornitschek, 375th Air Mobility Wing commander, said, "These are measures we should always strive to achieve, but are especially important during this inspection period as we achieve showcase success together."