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Isn’t restarting your computer every day a step back into the old days? Today’s Windows XP and Vista machines should be able to run 24/7 without ever being rebooted, right?
Wrong.
Across U.S. Air Forces in Europe, more than 30,000 computers operate daily, and each one is an entry point into the Department of Defense’s Enterprise Network. Each one of those computers must be secure, properly patched and healthy, otherwise, it becomes a vulnerability that can be exploited by an adversary. The saying “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link” also applies to computers and computer networks.
By restarting computers daily, you are ensuring a “clean” load with all the proper processes and compliance checking that goes along with a reboot.
Out of USAFE’s 30,000 computers on the unclassified network, about 95 percent are considered healthy, meaning processes are running properly and the computer is in communication with the vulnerability patching server. That may sound like a good number, but when you consider 5 percent equals 1,500 computers, that is 1,500 potential points of attack by an enemy. That is unacceptable.
Although some of these computers have software issues or other problems that may need remote assistance or hands-on patching by a cyber technician, many of them are not “talking” with the patching server because of a problem that can be easily solved with a fresh reboot or restart.
So, follow a few easy reminders:
• Restart your computer at the end of the duty day.
• Do not shut off your computer. Leave it on and connected to the network.
• If your computer ever informs you it is missing a patch, restart your
computer first.
• If it still informs you it needs a patch after restarting, call 478-HELP (for USAFE units) and a help desk technician will ensure your machine gets patched.
Again, restart your computer every day. This is a simple step to ensure your computer is not the weakest link on the network.
