The cases could allow military personnel to keep their phones with them in secure facilities that usually shun mobile devices, while helping to secure their communications when they're just out and about.

As agencies adjust to long-term teleworking, IT departments need to keep on top of network modeling and cyber-hygiene practices to keep remote workers secure.

"Overall, until DOD completes its cyber hygiene initiatives and ensures that cyber practices are implemented, the department will face an enhanced risk of successful attack," a new GAO report states.

"With the increase in telework capability comes an increase in attack surface for our adversaries,” says Essye Miller of the CIO's office. "They are already taking advantage of the situation."

Modern network modeling platforms will help equip agencies to find and automatically update outdated configuration rules lurking on aging infrastructure.

"We want the bar to be so high that it becomes a condition of doing business," Shanahan said of cybersecurity.