Don’t Let it All Hang Out

Maj. Gen. Suzanne Vautrinot, 24th Air Force commander, called on members of industry to consider cyber needs and requirements as they design new platforms and weapon systems. Speaking at AFA’s CyberFutures Conference outside of Washington, D.C., on March 23, Vautrinot said if cyber defense is not factored into the design, this would almost inevitably lead to denial-of-service issues that could prevent or misdirect the transfer of vital information. “If you don’t define that end, you don’t build defense on the front end,” she said. “It’s like a hospital gown. You’re covered in the front, but hanging out in the back. We need to get proactive in how you use the defensive structure.”