For the Navy, these threats strike at the heart of mission readiness. The Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (DCNO) for Information Warfare (N2N6) is tasked with ensuring the Navy’s ships, submarines, airpower, and shore commands are supported by network enterprise systems that are secure, interoperable and effective. To be secure, these networks must be resilient, maneuverable, and survivable. These systems are not merely technical enablers, they are the backbone of Naval lethality, ensuring commanders and crews have reliable access to the information and communications they need to fight and win.

Everyone Has a Role to Play

Ensuring the Fleet is mission-ready to defend and fortify lethality requires an “All-Hands” approach. Every Navy officer, Sailor, civilian, and contractor has a role to play in protecting networks and defending against cyber adversaries. It is not enough for cybersecurity experts to do their jobs in isolation. Navy’s cyber resiliency depends on everyday actions, from migrating devices to modernized networks, to maintaining end-to-end encryption on command communications and being vigilant against phishing attempts.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month, held each year in October, serves as an annual reminder of these responsibilities. Cybersecurity, however, is not a “one month a year” exercise. It must be woven into daily operations and treated as a readiness issue just as important as maintaining equipment, practicing tactical drills, or ensuring weapons systems are fueled and armed. This year, the Director of Enterprise Network and Cybersecurity (N2N6D), under the DCNO for Information Warfare, is emphasizing that the defense of networks is directly tied to fortifying lethality. Without secure and modernized systems, the Navy cannot project power, respond to crises, or maintain the warfighting advantage.

Modernization is Mission Readiness

All systems used across the Navy are required to modernize and migrate to modern network infrastructure – hardware and software. This is not simply about “keeping up with technology,” it is about survival in a contested information environment. An outdated or vulnerable system can delay communications between vessels, disrupt decision-making, and even provide an adversary with a window of opportunity to exploit a critical C2 node in a crisis.

For example, consider a deployed strike group relying on real-time intelligence to track adversary movements. If its networks are outdated and can be compromised, decision-making may be delayed or manipulated, putting Sailors and missions at risk. The warfighting advantage is only maintained if networks are modernized to be secure and reliable. The Department of the Navy’s Chief Information Officer(DON CIO) and OPNAV N2N6D have directed every command to modernize their network environment and act promptly when system upgrades or migrations are required.

Vigilance in Daily Actions

Modern systems and advanced technology mean little without disciplined, vigilant users. Cybersecurity ultimately depends on human behavior. Each authorized user must remain current with the annual Cybersecurity Awareness Challenge, which reinforces key protective habits such as recognizing phishing attempts, keeping Common Access Cards (CACs) secure, logging off unattended devices, and reporting suspicious activity.

Phishing emails remain one of the most common and effective methods adversaries use to penetrate networks. A single click on a malicious link can compromise an entire system. Individual vigilance is as critical as system modernization. In the Navy, the smallest lapse in judgment can create vulnerabilities that adversaries are eager to exploit.

Preparing for Future Threats

The Navy also recognizes that tomorrow’s threats will not look like today’s threats. Emerging technologies, such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and advanced persistent threats (APTs), have the potential to fundamentally reshape the cyber landscape. Quantum computing, in particular, poses a challenge to current cryptographic standards. Once adversaries develop quantum capabilities, many of today’s encryption methods could be rendered obsolete in seconds.

To prepare, the Navy is actively working to modernize and strengthen cryptographic algorithms and equipment. This includes transitioning to “post-quantum cryptography” and ensuring data at rest and in transit remains secure even against future technological advances. However, these enterprise-level steps only succeed if users follow through with

daily practices: properly encrypting sensitive data, safeguarding classified systems, and adhering to secure communications procedures.

A Shared Responsibility Across the Department

While the Navy leads its own cybersecurity initiatives, each military department and service shares responsibility for maintaining secure networks. Interoperability across services is critical. Joint operations demand that information flows seamlessly between the services, combatant commands and agencies. A breach in one service’s network can compromise the effectiveness of all others. Cybersecurity Awareness Month is not just a Navy initiative. It is a Department of War-wide priority. Every branch of the military treats cybersecurity as a fundamental tenet of lethality and readiness.

This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Sailors and civilians alike are reminded that our networks are as critical to defending and fortifying lethality as our warfighters themselves. Missiles, aircraft, and ships may be the visible symbols of Naval power, but their effectiveness depends on invisible networks that carry intelligence, orders, and communications across the globe.

Cybersecurity is no longer a supporting function; it is a mission in its own right. Our adversaries are actively probing and attacking the Navy’s digital front lines or looking for weaknesses to exploit every day. By modernizing systems, practicing daily vigilance, preparing for future threats and treating cybersecurity as an all-hands responsibility, we can ensure that the Navy remains ready to fight and win in every domain; sea, air, land, space, and cyberspace.

Defending and fortifying lethality begins with securing the networks that connect and protect us. This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and every month, the mission continues.