U.S. government, military, and defense organizations are bombarded with a host of cybersecurity threats daily. While many of these threats are basic email phishing attacks, others are sophisticated enough to pose a major security threat to the nation’s data systems and infrastructure.
For government, military, and defense organizations, it’s of vital importance to implement the highest level of cybersecurity. This involves using the latest and most cutting-edge software and web protection programs. Additionally, it involves hiring cybersecurity professionals who have the specialized expertise necessary for protecting government, military, and defense systems, as well as the security clearances required to work with these organizations.
The Essential Role of Cybersecurity in Government, Military, and Defense Organizations
According to the FBI Cyber Division, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, reports of cyberattacks have skyrocketed to 4,000 per day — a surge of 400 percent over pre-pandemic years. Likewise, in 2019, reports show there were more than 28,581 cyberattacks against the federal government.
In recent years, high-profile cyber attacks have crippled businesses and posed threats to numerous government agencies. For example, in 2014, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) was breached, resulting in 20 million people having their personal information compromised. In 2020, a major cyber attack caused data breaches in multiple departments of the federal government, including the Departments of Homeland Security, Energy, State, Commerce, and Treasury. As recently as May 2021, hackers stole a password and attacked the Colonial Pipeline, resulting in its closure and forcing the Environmental Protection Agency to dispense emergency fuel to millions of consumers.
As for the military, cybersecurity experts have already expressed concerns about digitally-sophisticated weapons such as the F-35 fighter jet, which is known as the “flying computer” because of its wealth of digital technology. These technological assets make it so vulnerable to hackers that experts say the F-35 is more at risk from cyberattacks than from enemy missiles.
Likewise, the 5G revolution is already providing a greater expansion of fast-access digital services to governments — but this also means an enhanced risk as these services are exposed to today’s more sophisticated cybercriminals and hackers.
The Importance of Choosing the Right Cybersecurity Company
Government, military, and defense organizations hold data that vitally affects — and protects — every person in the country. This information needs to be safeguarded at all times, from the moment data is collected and entered, until the time it’s permanently deleted.
Before choosing a cybersecurity company, government, military, and defense organizations first need to research available cybersecurity services to ensure that they’re actively certified for government work. For example, defense department cybersecurity experts need to be able to monitor all types of cyber behaviors in a multitude of systems, from administrative offices to manned and unmanned defense and combat machinery. In addition, these experts also need to have the necessary security clearances for working with military and government departments.
That’s why it’s of paramount importance to choose a cybersecurity company that specializes in government, military, and defense cyber protection. All too often, cybersecurity companies may claim to be qualified for government work, but their main expertise is in handling business and civilian contracts. These companies won’t be able to provide experts with the specialized knowledge or security clearance necessary for successfully taking on critical and complex government contracts.
What To Look for When Hiring Government, Military, and Defense Cybersecurity Specialists
Before choosing a cybersecurity firm, government, military, and defense organizations need to first identify their unique cybersecurity needs and then make a shortlist of top priorities to look for in a cybersecurity company. Starting with the basics, these priorities should include implementation of updated cybersecurity tools and protections, including:
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework experience to include the NIST 800 series
- Risk Management Framework (RMF) understanding, execution, and integration into organizational processes
- RMF in an Agile environment
- Weapon System understanding an experience
- Intelligence Community Directives (ICD) 500-series
- Cleared services from all support personnel
- Enterprise Systems Engineering
- Systems Security Engineering
- Systems Test Design and Implementation
- Cross Domain Solutions including Network Guard Technologies
However, while many companies may offer these software programs and solutions, these tools are only truly effective when they’re implemented, managed, and monitored by top-tier experts. These experts need to not only understand government, military, and defense issues and solutions but also have the security clearances to access, navigate, and protect highly classified, sensitive information.
The Benefits of Hiring a Cybersecurity Company With Top-Tier Employees
Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing industries in the nation, and skilled experts with security clearance are in high demand in all sectors — especially government, military, and defense. That’s why Cropper Federal Security has already endeavored to meet that demand by hiring the best security-cleared cybersecurity experts in the country.
Thanks to Cropper’s investment in hiring, training, and retaining top-tier employees, our team of security professionals has the best credentials in the cyber industry. These include:
- Complete cybersecurity certification across all platforms
- Years of experience in providing government, military, and defense cybersecurity solutions
- The ability to provide maximum protection for all types of specialized government, military, and defense systems, from Air Force Common Ground Systems (DCGS) to unique systems created for federal agencies
Cropper Federal Security provides superior cybersecurity, CIO, and CISO services, including consulting, security engineering, and mission support solutions. Our track record shows that we've handled government, military, and defense contracts worth millions of dollars, thanks to the skill, depth of experience, and trustworthiness of our team.
At Cropper, we hire only the best candidates — those with the right degrees, certifications, and clearances to successfully serve highly specialized government, military, and defense organizations. Every candidate is interviewed by our company President and CEO to ensure the best fit for our customers. Our team comprises industry professionals who demonstrate the drive and initiative to provide superior service and solutions for our clients. Plus, we provide Fortune 500-level benefits for our employees, to ensure that we can hire and retain the best team with competitive compensation packages.
When it comes to selecting a cybersecurity team for government, military, and defense organizations, it’s crucial to look for performance quality as well as experience. In our next article, we’ll discuss why it’s essential to choose only the most experienced, certified, and security-cleared experts for your security needs. In the meantime, if you’re looking for the best cybersecurity team in the industry for your government, military, or defense organization, be sure to contact us to request a full phone, video, or in-person consultation about our comprehensive cybersecurity solutions.
