- Navy Secretary John Phelan calls for heightened digital security.
- Sailors are being targeted by "adversary cyber actors" during the ongoing military conflict.
- The ongoing war has disrupted military-related activities far from the battlefield.
Electronic communication propaganda has long been an asymmetrical “weapon” launched in times of war to demoralize or exploit the enemy.
Remember “Tokyo Rose” — the mythical Japanese woman whose propaganda radio broadcasts attempted to unnerve and dishearten American soldiers and sailors during World War II?
Now that tactic is apparently taking modern form during the ongoing American conflict in the Middle East. And defensive tactics, say military leaders, should be taken.
In an unclassified memo issued last week to American sailors and their families, Navy Secretary John Phelan called for heightened “threat awareness and cyber hygiene.”
“In response to Operation Epic Fury, adversary cyber actors are conducting a social engineering campaign actively targeting Department of the Navy (DON) personnel and their families via spear phishing and social media contacts,” wrote Phelan.
“Spear phishing” targets a specific person or group in attempts to acquire sensitive information or access to a computer system by sending bogus messages that appear legitimate.
Such “adversary cyber actors,” added Phelan in the memo, seek to “psychologically influence” American sailors and their families — while also hoping to trick Navy personnel into clicking on potentially malicious links and files.
The Navy’s criminal investigation service is issuing several recommendations “to proactively secure electronic devices and personal information in an effort to reduce the malicious actors’ ability to identify and target DON personnel.”
First, sailors are being asked to remove online personal identifiable information (PII) that can be found in a Google search. “Contact legitimate sites, if possible, and request your PII be removed,” the memo suggests.
The service also recommends that sailors check their social media privacy settings and ensure they are at the highest level. “Limit who can view your current and historical social media profiles, contacts, and who can contact you.”
Wartime vigilance against cyberattacks
It’s also a good time, recommended Phelan, for sailors to halt their online posts.
“If unable, be mindful of what you post online,” notes the memo. “Does the background of your pictures include clues about you, your friends/family, your home, your location, your activities?”
Sailors should also ask their family and friends to limit their postings of information or photos about Navy activities — “or obtain your approval beforehand.”
Vigilance remains the key defense against spear phishing, according to the memo.
Sailors should be wary of strangers attempting to contact, friend, connect or link with them. It’s also important they change account passwords — while exercising strong password practices such as using different passwords for different sites.
Additionally “adjust device settings to turn off app access to location, cameras, microphones, texts, and other private information if not needed.”
Practicing cyber commonsense, added the memo, can protect sailors and their families.
Sailors should research and verify before downloading any software to ensure an applications’ safety and legitimacy. And beware of dating apps that encourage or require sharing personal information — and also avoid using public Wi-Fi services.
“Be on the lookout for spear phishing messages, which may stand out based on their use of urgency, flattery, or vague terms. Do not respond or click on anything in these emails,” added the memo.
Military air shows nixed at Hill Air Force Base and elsewhere
Warnings for increased sailor cybersecurity are another signal of the emerging realities of America at war.
Last week, Utah’s Hill Air Force Base announced it was postponing its biennial Warriors Over the Wasatch Air Show. The change “is a direct result of the need to prioritize resources for critical ongoing operations.”
Initially planned for the end of June, the 2026 “Warriors Over the Wasatch Air Show” has been rescheduled for June 19-20, 2027.
“This was not the outcome any of us hoped for. We know this news is a great disappointment to the community partners, performers, and thousands of supporters who make this event a success,” Col. Dan Cornelius, 75th Air Base Wing commander, said in a statement.
“We are committed to delivering an exceptional experience — and it became evident that with current constraints, we could not guarantee the quality and scale that defines the Warriors Over the Wasatch show and that our community deserves.”
Similar military air shows have also been nixed since the war with Iran began.
March air shows featuring the Navy’s Blue Angels aviation demonstration team were canceled at California’s Naval Air Facility El Centro and California’s Naval Air Station Lemoore due to “increased security measures and evolving force protection requirements,” the Pensacola News Journal reported.
Meanwhile, the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station announced the 2026 Thunder of Niagara Air Show was canceled. The show was to be staged in late June.
“After reviewing the situation and the resources available to us it became clear that we would not be able to produce an air show that meets the standard our community expects and deserves,” according to a station spokesperson.