Coast Guard Cyber Command Calls for IT Overhaul

The U.S. Coast Guard's IT systems are in dire need of an upgrade, according to the head of the branch's Cyber Command office.

"If we think about cyberspace as an operational domain … it means investing in [technology] as a strategic asset," Rear Adm. Kevin Lunday told Nextgov in an interview released Monday. "You can't paint a racing stripe on it … like we do with our cutters and our aircraft, but it's just as important to getting the mission done as the traditional assets that are very visible."

Lunday has overseen a steady overhaul of the Coast Guard's IT systems since 2015, the first phase of which, upgrading the various operating systems used in its IT infrastructure to Windows 10, is scheduled for completion in March. This also will involve upgrading the Coast Guard's computer hardware and network infrastructure.

He also stressed the importance of caution, both for his own team and federal employees in general.

"If we get every user to think of [cyberspace] as an operational domain, and to approach it with an operational readiness mindset, then that's a much more productive approach in terms of network security," Lunday said. "Every time you log onto your computer, you're in the operational domain of cyberspace — most people don't think that way yet, but we're learning."

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