Air Force Cyber Adviser Urges Investment in Digital Forensics
Summary
Department of the Air Force cyber adviser Wanda Jones-Heath urged investment in digital forensics and more realistic cyber exercises. A Defense cyber official recommended involving security personnel in operational planning from the outset.
Key points
- Wanda Jones-Heath said digital forensics can help identify how and where an incident began, who was responsible, and which areas remain under threat.
- Jones-Heath said organizations need to keep pace with incidents as they occur, while recognizing that forensic analysis often happens weeks or months later.
- Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center official Jeffrey Hunt recommended a liaison between security and operations teams during operational planning, rather than combining them into one unit.
- Jones-Heath called for cyber exercises that engage cyber teams in both offensive and defensive roles and reflect real-world adversary activity.
Article Details
- Event Type
- Department of the Air Force and Department of Defense cyber officials called for greater investment in digital forensics and changes to cyber operations planning and exercises.
- Impact
- The officials said stronger digital forensics could help identify how and where incidents began and support response while operations continue. They also recommended early coordination between security and operations teams and exercises that involve cyber teams in offensive and defensive roles and reflect real-world adversary activity.
People
Jeffrey HuntGlobal operations branch chief for the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center; said security should be represented in operational planning from the beginning.Wanda Jones-HeathPrincipal cyber adviser for the Department of the Air Force; advocated investment in digital forensics and changes to cyber exercises.
Industries
DefenseJeffrey Hunt, global operations branch chief for the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center, which provides digital forensic investigations, said at the same event that the divide between operations and security onGovernmentThe government needs to invest in digital forensics to keep pace with incidents and threats in cyberspace, the principal cyber adviser for the Department of the Air Force said Thursday.