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Modifications to Cyberwarfare in the United States

As a major developed economy, the United States is highly dependent on the Internet and therefore greatly exposed to cyber attacks. At the same time, the United States has substantial capabilities in both defense and power projection thanks to its advanced technology and large military budget. Cyber warfare continues to be a growing threat as more physical systems and infrastructure are linked to the internet. Malicious hacking from domestic or foreign enemies remains a constant threat to the United States. In response to these growing threats, the United States has developed significant cyber capabilities.

The United States Department of Defense recognizes the use of computers and the Internet to conduct warfare in cyberspace as a threat to national security, but also as a platform for attack.

The United States Cyber Command centralizes command of cyberspace operations, organizes existing cyber resources and synchronizes defense of U.S. military networks. It is an armed forces sub-unified command subordinate to United States Strategic Command

The Department of Defense Cyber Strategy

In April 2015, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) published its latest Cyber Strategy[3] building upon the Five Pillars published in July 2011.[4] The DoD Cyber strategy focuses on building capabilities to protect, secure, and defend its own DoD networks, systems and information; defend the nation against cyber attacks; and support contingency plans. This includes being prepared to operate and continue to carry out missions in environments impacted by cyber attacks.

The DoD outlines three cyber missions:

Defend DoD networks, systems, and information

Defend the United States and its interests against cyberattacks of significant consequence

Provide integrated cyber capabilities to support military operations and contingency plans

In addition the Cyber Strategy emphasizes the need to build bridges to the private sector, so that the best talent and technology the United States has to offer is at disposal to the DoD.

The Five Pillars[edit | edit source]

1. Build and maintain ready forces and capabilities to conduct cyberspace operations;

2. Defend the DoD information network, secure DoD data, and mitigate risks to DoD missions;

3. Be prepared to defend the U.S. homeland and U.S. vital interests from disruptive or destructive cyberattacks of significant consequence;

4. Build and maintain viable cyber options and plan to use those options to control conflict escalation and to shape the conflict environment at all stages;

5. Build and maintain robust international alliances and partnerships to deter shared threats and increase international security and stability.

US Department of Defense Cyber Strategy, US DoD, April 2015.

The five pillars is the base of the Department of Defense's strategy for cyberwarfare.[5] The first pillar is to recognize that the new domain for warfare is cyberspace similar to the other elements in the battlespace. The key objectives of this pillar is to build up technical capabilities and accelerate research and development to provide the United States with a technological advantage. The second pillar is proactive defenses as opposed to passive defense. Two examples of passive defense are computer hygiene and firewalls. The balance of the attacks require active defense using sensors to provide a rapid response to detect and stop a cyber attack on a computer network. This would provide military tactics to backtrace, hunt down and attack an enemy intruder. The third pillar is critical infrastructure protection (CIP) to ensure the protection of critical infrastructure by developing warning systems to anticipate threat and partnering with interagency organizations. The fourth pillar is the use of collective defense, which would provide the ability of early detection and to incorporate them into the cyberwarfare defence structure. The goal of this pillar being to explore all options in the face of a conflict, and to minimize loss of life and destruction of property. The fifth pillar is build and maintain international alliances and partnerships to deter shared threats, and to remain adaptive and flexible to build new alliances as required. This is focused on "priority regions, to include the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Europe".

Additions to "Timeline":

In December 2014, in response to a hack on the US based company Sony believed to be perpetrated by North Korea (see Sony Pictures hack) the US government created new economic sanctions on North Korea and listed the country as a state sponsor of terrorism. After the hack there was an internet blackout over most of North Korea allegedly caused by the US, but there is no definitive evidence to support that claim.