Dyess Air Force Base, Texas -- Working on a computer has become a consistent part of how people perform their jobs. With computers using various software applications, there is a constant need for them to be updated.
Airmen from the 7th Communications Squadron recently created a script to run on all of the computers at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, to inform users to have their computer’s updated.
“Sending notifications for people to have their computer’s updated is incredibly important because if our network isn’t in compliance with the inspection we go through, then the base’s network system will be turned off,” said Staff Sgt. Tyler Martin, 7th CS patch management NCO in charge. “Our technicians will run an invasive scan on all of the computer software to help us determine which computers need to be updated.”
As the CS Airmen receive the network computer vulnerabilities report for Dyess, they are able to identify the 10 worst vulnerabilities and then deploy the pop-up that will notify the user to bring their computers to the CS office for it to be updated. If a user does not become compliant within one week, then their computer is automatically turned off until it’s updated.
“We have to be in compliance with the security of our network,” Martin said. “A lot of machines were being left off during the COVID-19 pandemic and teleworking drove the number of issues up, so we began figuring out ways to push people to bring in their computers to be updated.”
Some of the software that typically needs to be updated on the network computers are McAfee, Java and Google Chrome. The 7 CS score of being non-compliant has decreased by 88.75 percent since the script has been implemented.
“Having personnel bring their computers in definitely helps our compliance rates for the base to allow our base to stay on the network,” said Airman 1st Class Pauline Regala, 7th CS cyber systems technician. “The script is important because it’s helping people know how crucial it is for personnel to bring computers in to be updated so that they can complete the mission.”