MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- With the most recent overhaul of the officer and enlisted performance report system, a new Air Force policy on encrypting and digitally signing e-mails is now in effect to ensure security and reliability of information.
The Air Force Public Key Infrastructure Policy on Encrypting and Digitally Signing E-mails is designed to combat adversaries' growing attempts at network infiltration and sending barrages of malicious e-mails, said Master Sgt. Donald Howard, 23rd Communications Squadron operations controller. The system requires the use of digital signatures for all e-mail documents involved in the new report process.
"The new EPR/OPR system is striving toward an entirely paperless process, which includes all processing, tracking and sending," said Sergeant Howard. "Our policy on digital signatures has been around for awhile, but with the new EPR and OPR system, we are implementing it across the board. The digital signature guarantees the authenticity of who is sending the e-mail."
Though not all e-mail necessitates a digital signature, several different types of messages must always have digital authentication, said Staff Sgt. Cassandra Moore, 23rd CS network administrator. Examples include formal direction to a government employee or contractor, messages stipulating an Air Force official position on any matter, messages that commit to, authorize or deny the use of funds in some manner, and any privacy act information.
"A digital signature is similar to an actual signature on-paper, as both are legally binding," said Sergeant Moore. "Digital signatures also assure the recipient of the sender's identity and confirm an e-mail remains unaltered during transmission. Message encryption ensures the sender only the intended recipient will be able to receive and read the message."
To create a digital signature, e-mail users can click on the "digitally sign" icon on the e-mail message toolbar in Microsoft Outlook.
While these changes may be awkward to users during the initial phases, they are part of new Air Force policies designed to create a more secure, trustworthy and organized way of doing business, said Sergeant Howard.
"We are moving rapidly toward a digital information Air Force, which is why our leaders recently added cyberspace as a domain to fight and win," the sergeant added. "There are always growing pains at the start of a new process, but in the end, our data will be more protected and reliable."
USAF. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Rosario "Charo" Gutierrez)