Social Media: The Fastest Growing Vulonerability to the Air Force Mission: The Fastest Growing Vulonerability to the Air Force Mission

Social media is the fastest growing vulnerability to the military mission and the personal security of all Airmen. On 30 November 2014, the FBI issued warning to members of the US military and requested that they review their social media presence for any information like names and addresses that might attract the attention of violent ISIS extremists.

Over the past decade, the convergence of mobile broadband devices has enabled social media to become more and more integrated into our everyday lives. The inherent risks and vulnerabilities of the internet and social networking sites likeFacebook, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter, etc.along with the Air Force’s (AF's) endorsement to actively use social media, has cultivated a rich and ripe environment for foreign adversaries and criminals to cherry-pick personal information about Airmen and their missions for nefarious activities.

This text provides some of the most common threats and vulnerabilities of the social media environment, the risks of using social media, recommendations for revising the Air Force current social media guidance and outlines cyberspace best practices. An informed workforce can better protect the Air Force mission and reduce the risk of becoming a target of opportunity. 

Audience:  Important guidance about potential cyber threats through mobile devices, computer hacking, and social networking are covered within this resource primarily for use by the  U.S. Air Force personnel and their families, but may also provide awareness to populations beyond the United States Department of Defense community.