Answer :
In the Cyber Awareness Challenge, the priority focus on COOP is to protect critical and essential functions in cybersecurity. These functions are vital for operational continuity during disruptions, ensuring mission success and organizational integrity. Understanding these focuses ties into following organizational security policies and practicing effective password management.
The Cyber Awareness Challenge is designed to educate personnel on cybersecurity and the relevant policies to protect an organization's information infrastructure. In contexts where a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) is referenced, the priority focus is typically on maintaining and protecting critical and essential functions. Such functions are deemed vital for the operation's survival, directly affecting the organization's ability to provide services, accomplish its mission, and ensure the safety and well-being of its personnel.
Critical functions in cybersecurity refer to those activities that must be continuous or resume quickly after a disruption, such as maintaining essential services and protecting sensitive or classified information. An Essential function, in this context, would be a subset of critical functions that support necessary services, usually directly impacting mission success.
In the Cyber Awareness Challenge, therefore, the priority focus on critical and essential functions would ensure that personnel are aware of tasks that cannot be compromised under any circumstances, forming the core of a COOP in a cyber defense strategy. This aligns with basic ethical considerations of using computational systems, understanding and adhering to organizational security policies including Acceptable Use Policies (AUPs), and ensuring robust Password Management.
