MilitarySpot.com

Serving the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and National Guard

Online Schools
| Find Jobs
Follow MilitarySpot:
 
  • Home
  • Enlist
    • Join The Army
    • Join The Navy
    • Join The Air Force
    • Join The Marines
    • Join The Coast Guard
    • Join The National Guard
    • ASVAB
    • Army Physical Fitness Test
    • Military Draft
    • Prior Service Army Enlistment
  • Career
    • Join the Military
    • Jobs for Military and Civilians
    • Career Center
    • Prior Service Army Enlistment
    • Criminal Justice
  • Education
    • Online Schools
    • Spouse Education Benefits
    • GI Bill
    • Military Schools
    • Criminal Justice
  • Benefits
    • Army Benefits
    • Navy Benefits
    • Air Force Benefits
    • Marine Corps Benefits
    • National Guard Benefits
    • Coast Guard Benefits
    • Veteran Benefits
    • Basic Pay Rates
    • Allowances
    • Special & Incentive Pay
    • Military Spouse Education Benefits
    • VA Education Benefits
    • GI Bill
  • News
    • Headline News
  • Finance
    • Debt Relief
    • Military Pay Rates
    • Military Personal Loans
    • VA Loans
    • Military Star Card
    • Military MyPay
  • Spouses
    • School Finder
    • Scholarships & Grants
    • PCS, DITY, & Moving
    • Pay Rates
    • MyCAA
    • Education Benefits
  • Community
    • Military Games
    • Military Reunions
    • Classifieds
    • Photo Gallery
    • Buddy Finder
    • MilitarySpot Pinups
    • Military Bases
  • Resources
    • Military Alphabet
    • Military Reunions
    • Military Acronyms
    • Currency Converter
    • Military Tools
    • Ranks
    • Military Time
    • Military Tactics
    • Military Discounts
    • Military Games
    • Military Videos
    • Photo Gallery
    • Infographics
    • How To
  • Travel

DoD More Assertive, Proactive in Cyber Domain

JULY 1, 2019 – The primary concept put forth in DOD’s cyber strategy is “defend forward,” but also a priority is more assertiveness in the face of growing threats from outside U.S. borders, the deputy assistant defense secretary for cyber policy said.

“We have shifted from … a more reactive stance as a department, with regards to national security threats in [the cyber domain] … into a much more proactive, assertive stance/posture,” B. Edwin Wilson said yesterday during a cyber forum hosted by Defense One.

Adversaries are now taking advantage of the cyber domain in a way they haven’t in the past, so DOD must step up to defend in ways it hasn’t in the past, Wilson said, noting that adversaries now are engaged in persistent, ongoing campaigns, not merely one-off attacks.

“Adversaries are using this domain, especially operating below the threshold of a traditional response, in enduring campaigns,” he said. “[These are] sustained campaigns that are creating strategic risk for the nation, not just for the military, but for the nation, our allies and partners, and industry.”

Delivering cyber effect, he said, is now considered a tool similar to other instruments of national power.

“We may use trade sanctions, we may use attribution in terms of key actors, designations of malicious actors,” Wilson said. “There have been several in the last couple of years: Russia, China, … Iran. Those are techniques. We can also now have a process in place … to put cyber effects operations, either defensive or offensive, as a potential instrument of national power. We use it all the time. But it is now considered on par with all the other tools of power for the nation.”

The United States has a strong partnership with NATO nations, Wilson said, and cyber is now making its way into NATO dialogue. He said that the U.S. is one of nine NATO partners that have volunteered to respond to an Article 5 declaration when the attack is actually cyber, rather than kinetic. Article 5 of the treaty that created NATO states that the alliance considers an attack on one member to be an attack on all.

“We would be willing to use offensive cyber operations, mostly in a defensive capacity, in support of an Article 5 declaration by NATO,” he said. “We are working through ‘What does that really mean? What is the criteria for that? What nations have capability? What would that look like? How would we coordinate those activities?’ and start working through that now.”

The digital transformation taking place globally, Wilson said, demands quick U.S. action. That transformation, he said, is taking place at an unprecedented pace.

“I doubt that in history we’ve seen anything that would match the changes that are coming at us,” he said. “It’s both challenges and opportunities, no matter what walk of life you’re in.”

For industry, he said, those changes present “tremendous opportunity for productivity.” For those charged with defending the nation, he said, “that speaks to threats, and what are we going to do about those threats?”

The best indicators of those threats, he said, are China and Russia — both bellwethers of what’s to come.

“Both have the technology wherewithal, as well as the capacity to put these technologies to use in a significant way,” he said.

To prepare itself for the opportunities and the threats posed by cyber transformation the Defense Department is clarifying for itself and others what its role will be in defense of the nation, when it comes to the cyber domain, Wilson said, noting that this effort has been defined as “defend forward.”

Ready to Join the Army? Contact a Recruiter Now!

“When we went to craft the strategy last year, we began to look at what was different in the strategic environment we are operating in today as compared to 2015,” Wilson said. “2015 doesn’t seem like a long time, but when you do operations in cyberspace, defense operations, etc., that’s an eternity.”

Theft of intellectual property and malign influence activities are just two examples of what the department is facing, he said.

“We were having trouble articulating what is the DOD’s role in this strategic environment,” he said. “When we moved through it, we were looking for a concept that articulated the unique attributes of the department, as well as our roles and would help clarify roles and responsibilities next to other departments and agencies.”

The “defend forward” concept is the name given to what crystalized, from the department’s efforts to define its role in cyber defense.

“As the Department of Defense, we focus on a really external, outward-facing environment,” he said. “Our job is to worry about significant threats to our country, to the nation, to our allies, to our partners. So that’s what we do. … We defend the homeland, we defend our allies and partners. In cyberspace, should it be different than any other domain?”

“Defend forward,” he said, means DOD must identify the significant external threats to the nation and act on those — but not alone.

“Our job as a department, alongside the intelligence community and other departments and agencies … is to be able to see threats as they develop, to be able to understand those threats, if there are imminent threats, then be able to pivot on behalf of the nation in a defensive role,” he said.

That role, he said, isn’t much different from what the department does in other domains.

“Disrupt, preempt, dissuade, deter … to be able to blunt those attacks before they reach the homeland,” he said. “That’s a very similar construct as we use in any other domain.”

BY C. TODD LOPEZ

Related Posts:

  • CYBERCOM to Elevate to Combatant Command
    CYBERCOM to Elevate to Combatant Command
  • AF's Top Scientist Unveils Cyber Vision 2025
    AF's Top Scientist Unveils Cyber Vision 2025
  • DoD Works to Increase Cybersecurity for U.S., Allies
    DoD Works to Increase Cybersecurity for U.S., Allies
  • Release of U.S. Coast Guard Cyber Strategy
    Release of U.S. Coast Guard Cyber Strategy
  • Naval War College Forum Examines Security Issues in Contested Environment
    Naval War College Forum Examines Security Issues in…
  • U.S. Cyber Command, NSA Commander Discusses State of Cyber Efforts
    U.S. Cyber Command, NSA Commander Discusses State of…

Comments

Filed Under: News

  • News
  • Enlist
  • Education
  • Career
  • Finance

Newest Handheld Radios Tested By Airborne Forces

FEBRUARY 24, 2021 – Airborne Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), 82nd Airborne Division, completed almost two weeks testing the Army’s newest small leader radio (LR) packages. “Soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division demonstrated tactical communications at its finest during the initial operational test,” said Maj. Brian Ramirez, Leader Radio (LR) Test […]

Answers to Top Questions About ACFT Equipment Fielding

OCTOBER 14, 2019 – As Army Soldiers start preparing for the new Army Combat Fitness Test, behind the scenes Army logisticians are also preparing to distribute more than 36,000 equipment sets to conduct the new test. At a recent Facebook Live event, watched by more than 150,000 viewers, Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston […]

Leadership Mentoring Symposium Develops the Force

FEBRUARY 8, 2021 – Mentors and mentees virtually attending the two-day Air Education and Training Command Leadership Mentoring Symposium Jan. 26-27 were given tools needed to inspire and advance the force through mentoring. “Everyone needs mentors, and my advice is to find mentors within and outside of your career field, as well as mentors who […]

Air Force Allows Longer Braids, Ponytails, Bangs for Women

JANUARY 22, 2021 – As an outcome of the 101st Air Force uniform board, Air Force women will be able to wear their hair in up to two braids or a single ponytail with bulk not exceeding the width of the head and length not extending below a horizontal line running between the top of […]

Navy Modernizes Tuition Assistance Debt Payments

JANUARY 4, 2021 – The Navy has modernized the way Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen can pay back tuition assistance (TA) debts beginning in January 2021. The new program provides service members with the option to pay their debt on a mobile device or computer using a debit card, electronic funds transfer (EFT) or via […]

Recent Posts

  • Newest Handheld Radios Tested By Airborne Forces
  • Cyber Workforce Vital to Protecting National Security
  • Rifle Qualification To Make Marines More Lethal
  • DoD ‘Problem Solvers’ Asked to ‘Imagine Tomorrow’
  • AAFES Offering 10% Off Tax Preparation at H&R Block
MAINMENU




SITESEARCH
Can't find something? Try using our site search to dig through our entire site.



Still having trouble? Try the Advanced Search to refine your searches.
NEWSLETTERSUBSCRIBE
Sign Up To Receive Information, Updates and Special Officers from MilitarySpot.com.



Don't miss an issue! Jump in the Newsletter Archives to catch up on previous issues.
FOLLOWMILITARY SPOT

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter & StumbleUpon and more. Keep up with MilitarySpot.com news & updates. We also have an RSS Feed.

Advertise | About | Contact | Feedback | Unsubscribe | DMCA | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
 
Copyright 2004-2021 Sun Key Publishing. All Rights Reserved.



 
This is not the official recruiting website of the U.S. Military. The site you are on is run by Sun Key Publishing, a private company, and is not endorsed by or affiliated with the U.S. Military.