The Department of Defense (DOD) released an unclassified summary of its classified 2023 Cyber Strategy.

The 2023 DOD Cyber Strategy, which DOD transmitted to Congress in May, is the baseline document for how the Department is operationalizing the priorities of the 2022 National Security Strategy, 2022 National Defense Strategy, and the 2023 National Cybersecurity Strategy. It builds upon the 2018 DOD Cyber Strategy and will set a new strategic direction for the Department.

“This strategy draws on lessons learned from years of conducting cyber operations and our close observation of how cyber has been used in the Russia-Ukraine war,” Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy John Plumb said. “It has driven home the need to work closely with our allies, partners, and industry to make sure we have the right cyber capabilities, cyber security, and cyber resilience to help deter conflict, and to fight and win if deterrence fails.”

The United States faces diverse, growing threats in cyberspace and the strategy outlines how DOD is maximizing its cyber capabilities in support of integrated deterrence and employing cyberspace operations in concert with other instruments of national power.

The strategy highlights DOD’s actions to invest in and ensure the defense, availability, reliability, and resilience of its cyber networks and infrastructure to support non-DOD agencies in their related roles and to protect the defense industrial base.

“Distinct from previous iterations, the strategy commits to increasing our collective cyber resilience by building the cyber capability of allies and partners.” Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cyber Policy Mieke Eoyang said. “It also reflects the department’s approach to defending the homeland through the cyber domain as well as prioritizing the integration of cyber capabilities into our traditional warfighting capabilities.”

The strategy is the fourth iteration for the Department, and the first to be informed by years of significant cyberspace operations.

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This press release by the U.S. Department of Defense was first published on September 12, 2023.

Summary 2023 Cyber Strategy, U.S. Department of Defense, PDF, 24 pages. (released to public by DoD on September 12, 2023)
https://media.defense.gov/2023/Sep/12/2003299076/-1/-1/1/2023_DOD_Cyber_Strategy_Summary.PDF

A ‘Quick Look’ report by the Joint Special Operations University (JSOU) provides information that will help the special operations community understand the cyberspace domain and friendly and adversary cyberspace activities.

This report presents information about the formation and mission of CYBERCOM. It defines the cyberspace domain as the physical network layer, logical network layer, and cyber-persona layer. The activities of friendly and adversary actors in cyberspace are detailed as cyberspace security, cyberspace exploitation, and cyberspace attack.

The short pub also provides information about Joint Task Force (JTF)-ARES Operation Glowing Symphony (OGS) formed in May 2016 to counter ISIS in cyberspace by planning and executing cyberspace operations in the Operation Iraqi Resolve area of operations. OGS “started a continuous set of actions to counter ISIS in cyberspace by taking down accounts, websites, and infrastructure used to create and distribute propaganda. It also disrupted internal communication across ISIS leaders and followers, and gravely disrupted an ISIS publication which never resumed operations.”

The report goes on to explain why cyberspace operations matter to SOF, how cyber operations (CO) can support or enhance SOF missions on the ground, and how the shift to Great Power Competition highlights the usefulness of cyber operations. “Ultimately, SOF can use a foundational understanding of CO as both a planning consideration for force protection and operational enhancement to present opportunities to execute core mission areas.”

Cyber Fundamentals for SOF, JSOU Quick Look, Joint Special Operations University, March 2021, PDF, 4 pages.
https://jsou.libguides.com/ld.php?content_id=60465000