Beyond the Build Delivering Outcomes through Cyberspace The Commander’s Vision and Guidance for US Cyber Command Motivated by MISSION Powered through PARTNERSHIPS Oriented toward OUTCOMES This page intentionally left blank DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE UNITED STATES CYBER COMMAND 9800 Savage Road Suite 6171 Fort George G Meade Maryland 20755-6477 June 3 2015 Our nation is being challenged as never before to defend its interests and values in cyberspace Adversaries increasingly seek to magnify their impact and extend their reach through cyber exploitation disruption and destruction This Vision conveys the direction of the Secretary of Defense and the new Department of Defense Cyber Strategy to intensify our efforts to defend the United States and its interests in our Digital Age It is my intent that we move forward quickly with our partners to build our military capabilities This document provides guidance for United States Cyber Command USCYBERCOM the Service Cyber Components the Cyber National Mission Force and the Joint Force Headquarters Department of Defense DOD Information Networks US CYBERCOM and its subordinate elements are the nation s war ghting arm in cyberspace We have been given responsibility to direct operate and secure the Department s systems and networks which are fundamental to the execution of all DOD missions The Department and the nation rely on us to build ready cyber forces and to be prepared to employ them when signi cant cyber attacks against the nation require DOD support We are expected to work closely with other combatant commands to integrate cyber operations into broader military missions Policymakers and Commanders alike look to us for cyber options in all phases of operations This Vision emphasizes integration of cyberspace operations into new ways of defending ghting and partnering against learning adversaries in the contested cyber domain We maintain an operational mindset with our networks and cyber capabilities led by Commanders who understand they are always in real or imminent contact with adversaries We must train and exercise to operate with degraded systems because digital connectivity should never be taken for granted We prepare to operate even in the absence of awless situational awareness Cyberspace operations demand unprecedented degrees of oint interagency and coalition collaboration and information sharing and thus we will remain trusted partners in collaborating with other agencies with allies and friends abroad with industry and with academia We will build our teams and capabilities to be agile innovative and accountable as we execute our missions on behalf of our nation Michael S Rogers Admiral US Navy Commander The Commander’s Vision and Guidance for US Cyber Command I Introduction As cyberspace has grown and become more pervasive military art has changed No one today can exert or maintain national power without acute sensitivity to the digital networks that underpin the world’s communications prosperity and security Although the US Department of Defense and Intelligence Community had an early advantage in cyber capabilities today much of the technical expertise necessary here resides outside government and often outside our nation The United States is working hard to maintain its edge over potential adversaries in cyberspace—but we must acknowledge our nation is facing peer competitors in this domain Our mission in cyberspace is to provide mission assurance for the operation and defense of the Department of Defense information environment deter or defeat strategic threats to US interests and infrastructure and support the achievement of Joint Force Commander objectives Our challenge is to protect the things we value—freedom liberty prosperity intellectual property and personal information— without hindering the free flow of information that fosters growth and intellectual dynamism All nations have vulnerabilities that can be exploited in and through cyberspace but we can lessen ours dramatically by harnessing the power of our nation’s cyber enterprise We as a Department are still in the early stages of this journey The necessary cyber workforce defensible architecture situational awareness operational concepts authorities and capabilities are not fully in place Knowledge of our mission set across the Department and the government is not yet where it needs to be Our traditional command and control and organizational constructs do not enable the speed and agility required to keep pace with change in the cyber domain We must adapt and soon Our challenge at US Cyber Command is to apply our experience and expertise in an adaptive manner making initiative innovation and excellence our standards as we execute our responsibilities to secure our nation’s freedom of action in cyberspace and help mitigate risks to national security Our task is to make this domain understood by other warfighters and integrated into broader military and governmental 2 WE MUST PROTECT THE THINGS WE VALUE MOST tt FREEDOM tt LIBERTY tt PROSPERITY tt INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY tt PERSONAL INFORMATION OUR CHALLENGE IS TO APPLY OUR EXPERIENCE EXPERTISE IN AN ADAPTIVE MANNER AS WE SECURE OUR NATION’S FREEDOM OF ACTION IN CYBERSPACE Motivated by MISSION Powered through PARTNERSHIPS Oriented toward OUTCOMES operations while providing decisionmakers and operational commanders with a wider range of options while resources are constrained and threats are growing This guidance provides US Cyber Command with strategic direction to ensure unity of effort as we perform our duties in the service of the nation II Intent US Cyber Command is an agile innovative and accountable organization supporting the Department Motivated by of Defense’s mission in cyberspace by ensuring MISSION Department of Defense mission assurance deterring or defeating strategic threats to US interests and infrastructure and achieving Joint Force Commander objectives OUR TASK IS TO HELP OTHERS UNDERSTAND THIS DOMAIN INTEGRATE IT INTO MILITARY AND GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS WE ARE AGILE INNOVATIVE ACCOUNTABLE US Cyber Command is a superb mission partner The Command strengthens partnerships across the Powered through Department of Defense and Intelligence Community PARTNERSHIPS and expands collaboration with federal agencies industry academia and international partners The nation’s cybersecurity requires a collaborative approach with a range of interagency and industry partners contributing authorities capabilities and insights to protect US infrastructure and information detect attacks and deter adversaries in M I S SI ON Department of Deter or defeat strategic Achieve Joint Force  Ensure   Defense mission assurance threats to US interests Commander objectives and infrastructure 3 The Commander’s Vision and Guidance for US Cyber Command WE STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY WE IMPROVE OUR COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE CYBER DOMAIN THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY cyberspace By working together we improve our collective knowledge about what is happening across the cyber domain and protect our networks US Cyber Command leverages the nation’s cryptologic heritage to defend the nation’s vital interests in cyberspace prevent strategic surprise and maintain technological advantage We team with the National Security Agency NSA to leverage its expertise in intelligence analysis and information assurance thereby saving America the resources security and opportunities involved in duplicating capabilities for tactical operational and strategic decision makers US Cyber Command works with focus and energy to build capacity and capability and to integrate Oriented toward cyberspace operations into joint force objectives OUTCOMES The US Government has made significant strides in defining cyber doctrine organizing cyber capabilities and building cyber capacity We at US Cyber Command will increase our momentum in a domain where adversary capabilities continue to evolve as fast as ours US Cyber Command remains at the core of the Department of Defense’s cyber enterprise and we will help the nation extend this enterprise beyond the boundaries of DoD’s expertise and authorities This is crucial to our nation’s ability to deter or defeat enemies in cyberspace so that they do not imperil our safety prosperity and way of life WE EXPAND PARTNERSHIPS WITH tt FEDERAL AGENCIES 4 tt INDUSTRY tt ACADEMIA tt INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS Motivated by MISSION Powered through PARTNERSHIPS Oriented toward OUTCOMES III Imperatives Our imperatives are mutually supporting with success in one supporting success in others We must identify obstacles to achieving our goals develop plans to overcome those obstacles and establish meaningful metrics to gauge our progress A Defend the Nation’s Vital Interests in Cyberspace OUR GREATEST IMPERATIVE IS TO EXECUTE OUR ASSIGNED MISSIONS IN DEFENSE OF THE NATION Our greatest imperative is to execute our assigned missions in defense of the nation States groups and individuals are using and developing sophisticated capabilities to conduct cyber coercion cyber attacks and cyber exploitation against the United States and our allies The targets of their efforts extend well beyond government and into privately owned businesses US Cyber Command teaming with federal foreign and industry partners will help to mitigate halt and attribute acts of disruption and destruction and campaigns of cyber espionage dissuade adversaries from malicious behavior and strengthen the resilience of DoD systems to withstand attacks In appropriate circumstances and on order from the National Command Authority we must be able to conduct offensive cyber operations US Cyber Command will provide decisionmakers and operational commanders with capabilities and options that can be integrated with other elements of US national power to shape our operating environment in peace crisis and war B Operationalize the Cyber Mission Set To execute the missions assigned to us we must turn strategy and plans into operational outcomes This requires commitment to an operational mindset whereby our networks and cyber capabilities are not administered but rather led by commanders who understand they are always in real or imminent contact with adversaries The many components of our information environment must be designed and led so they can operate and interact dynamically constantly and simultaneously and continue to function and fight in the face of damage and casualties WE MUST TURN STRATEGY PLANS INTO OPERATIONAL OUTCOMES 5 The Commander’s Vision and Guidance for US Cyber Command To operationalize the cyber mission set we must • Create truly defensible networks and a global joint backbone common across all the services and commands • Create common shared situational awareness tailored to the mission sets and requirements of operational commanders • Utilize appropriate authorities and policies especially in our role as part of the federal government’s response to attacks on critical infrastructure in the United States • Develop operational concepts and a command and control structure to employ the capacity we generate integrate it into broader operations and clarify missions force assignments and the authorities to employ them Our constructs must provide maximum flexibility for application of our capabilities so that we can act as either a supported or supporting command • Generate teams trained and ready to act in support of combatant commanders align command and control and implement enabling capabilities for maneuver elements so that in partnership with other governmental and private organizations we can defend the nation’s vital interests and infrastructure • Develop integrated approaches to operating defending and causing effects in cyberspace and enable operational-level integration with US government partners WE MUST GLOBALLY SYNCHRONIZE ALL CYBERSPACE OPERATIONS INTEGRATE CYBER INTO NEW WAYS OF DEFENDING FIGHTING PARTNERING 6 Motivated by MISSION Powered through PARTNERSHIPS Oriented toward OUTCOMES C Integrate Cyberspace Operations in Support of Joint Force Objectives Operations in and from cyberspace are crucial to the future of the joint force Joint task force commanders regardless of mission need to understand their networks and how those networks affect the execution of their missions Joint Force 2020 envisions operations in cyberspace becoming a precursor to and an integral part of conflict in the land maritime air and space domains We must integrate cyber into a broader range of military operations and offer options for commanders and policymakers to use cyber tools from Phase 0 peacetime daily ongoing operations through Phase 3 conflict and crisis to Phase 5 recovery operations We must train to these scenarios exercise them and integrate cyber operations into other warfare areas in a manner that joint and coalition warfighters understand Cyber concepts must take their place among the fundamentals of military doctrine that guide continuous employment of mutually supporting capabilities to achieve advantage against adversaries We will employ traditional terminology operational concepts and tactics techniques and procedures TTPs where possible emphasizing cyber’s similarity to other mission sets We will improve integration and synchronization of the planning execution and assessment of cyberspace operations with joint war-fighting processes Even WE MUST OFFER OPTIONS FOR COMMANDERS POLICYMAKERS TO USE CYBER TOOLS IN ALL PHASES OF OPERATIONS M I SS I ON Department of Deter or defeat strategic Achieve Joint Force  Ensure   Defense mission assurance threats to US interests Commander objectives and infrastructure I M P E R AT I V E S tt Defend the nation’s vital interests in cyberspace tt Operationalize the cyber mission set tt Integrate cyberspace operations in support of joint force objectives tt Accelerate full-spectrum capacity and capability development 7 The Commander’s Vision and Guidance for US Cyber Command as we support other Commands we will shift our mindset from enablers to operators from supporting to supported and from administrators to warfighters as we integrate cyber into new ways of defending fighting and partnering D Accelerate Full-Spectrum Capacity Capability Development WE MUST INCREASE MOMENTUM IN BUILDING CAPACITY CAPABILITY We must generate the capability that gives commanders and policymakers options to execute full-spectrum operations even as senior policymakers continue to refine the requisite authorities We must build the capacity of the Cyber Mission Force and enable the partnerships so vital to its success Our capabilities should be brought to a level where they are as trained and ready as any carrier strike group squadron marine air-ground task force brigade combat team or regimental combat team Our cyber teams will be tangible and operationally ready to execute their assigned missions To do this they require platforms tools training and infrastructure just like maneuver elements in all other domains We will continue to strengthen the nexus between NSA and US Cyber Command and between DoD’s IT infrastructure cyberspace intelligence and cyberspace operations We will enhance our capability by ensuring a depth of knowledge and unique capabilities across our workforce making them ready when granted the necessary authorities to execute the widest possible range of missions We will act to preserve and extend America’s cyber advantage so that the joint force can operate globally with speed flexibility and persistence IV Enablers WE MUST ASSURE THE FREEDOM ABILITY TO OPERATE IN CYBERSPACE 8 The freedom and ability to operate in cyberspace is a goal in itself and also is a critical enabler for operations on land in the air at sea and in space We must assure the availability of this enabling capability to facilitate military advantage in all domains and we must be able to integrate and synchronize cyberspace operations with other tools of national power to defend DoD networks support other Combatant Commanders and when called upon defend the homeland The following are key enablers for accomplishing our imperatives Motivated by MISSION Powered through PARTNERSHIPS Oriented toward OUTCOMES A Demonstrated Value and Credibility DoD will continue to build trust in the ability of the US Armed Forces to conduct operations in accordance with law and in a manner that meets broader foreign and defense policy objectives Trust needs to be earned We must demonstrate our value through specific contributions and continuing dialogue giving our interagency partners confidence that we will act with restraint in employing our forces We must build transparent repeatable and accountable processes for planning reviewing and obtaining approvals for proposed cyberspace operations We must clarify roles and responsibilities between US Cyber Command and other US government and private sector entities during all phases of a conflict We must establish and demonstrate effective command and control over cyberspace operations WE MUST BUILD PROCESSES THAT ARE tt TRANSPARENT tt REPEATABLE tt ACCOUNTABLE B Defined Command and Control DoD leaders and commanders naturally seek control over the means they require to accomplish their missions We must define supported supporting relationships with Combatant Commanders and ensure we effectively function as both a supported and supporting Command We must help the Defense Information Systems Agency DISA transition from an acquisition and engineering organization to an operational partner that can maneuver at the tactical level to operate and defend DoD networks Our command and control structure must enable the Services to man train equip and configure forces to be presented to Combatant Commanders enable US Cyber Command to globally synchronize all cyberspace operations and enable Regional Commanders to employ the force including DoDIN capabilities as we maintain the availability and security of our technological advantages WE MUST ENSURE WE EFFECTIVELY FUNCTION AS BOTH A SUPPORTED SUPPORTING COMMAND C The Other C2 Cooperation and Collaboration Collaboration with partners inside and outside government will determine our success in defending the nation in cyberspace Mission accomplishment depends on unity of effort We can learn from allies and industry as well as from non-traditional partners in academia and the information technology IT security community To do so we need to understand our partners and how they operate and help our partners understand us Our relationship with NSA is key We must optimize this relationship for the missions of both organizations with the objective of creating two independent but symbiotic WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND OUR PARTNERS AND HOW THEY OPERATE HELP OUR PARTNERS UNDERSTAND US 9 The Commander’s Vision and Guidance for US Cyber Command organizations with a well-defined and close partnership Finally we must build information-sharing mechanisms to ensure regular contact with those whom we fight and operate alongside both inside and outside DoD D Professionalized Force The nation needs a motivated fully-trained and well-led cyber workforce that understands evolving technologies and adversary TTPs The workforce— military both active and reserve civilian and contractor—is the Command’s greatest resource Innovation in recruitment excellence in training and education and career-path flexibility are critical enablers Competition for talent continues to be fierce as opportunities in the private sector proliferate but we can compete by offering people an opportunity to serve a global mission that matters and responsibility at a young age Retention may be more difficult among civilians but we should take this opportunity to create a workforce whose outward focus and extended definition of teamwork makes us even more effective in executing our missions WE OFFER PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE A GLOBAL MISSION THAT MATTERS E Acquisition Agility US Cyber Command requires unique products and services to support specialized and time-sensitive mission needs Acquisition agility is critical in the cyber domain because technology and threats evolve rapidly and a 2-5 year budget cycle may prevent us from properly equipping our cyber warriors US Cyber Command must advocate for the agility necessary to respond with products and services to meet emerging mission needs We must accelerate the development and acquisition of new tools and leverage Departmentlevel volume buying to achieve greater bargaining power with lower costs and greater interoperability particularly with regard to IT acquisition We must partner with industry and make effective use of the unique talent inherent in our reserve force to redefine relationships and create unity of effort across public and private sectors 10 WE MUST ACCELERATE THE DEVELOPMENT ACQUISITION OF NEW TOOLS Motivated by MISSION Powered through PARTNERSHIPS Oriented toward OUTCOMES V Conclusion Cyberspace is a dynamic domain which changes every time someone connects a networked device The only certain feature of this environment is uncertainty which makes agility a necessity Innovation leadership and education will continue to be crucial to this agility Cyberspace is a human construct so the broad principles of strategy and conflict still apply Warfighting skills remain critical—they just have to be faster and partnered WE MUST BE READY At a time when most of DoD is facing budget cuts the National Security Strategy and its implementation by the Department of Defense call for increased investments in cyberspace capacity because of a belief that the cyber mission set merits new investment The Department of Defense and the nation are counting on us to be there We must be ready M I S S I ON Department of Deter or defeat strategic Achieve Joint Force  Ensure   Defense mission assurance threats to US interests Commander objectives and infrastructure I M P E R AT I V E S tt Defend the nation’s vital interests in cyberspace tt Operationalize the cyber mission set tt Integrate cyberspace operations in support of joint force objectives tt Accelerate full-spectrum capacity and capability development E N AB L E RS tt Demonstrated value and credibility tt Defined command and control tt The other C2 cooperation and collaboration tt Professionalized force tt Acquisition agility 11 Motivated by MISSION Powered through PARTNERSHIPS Oriented toward OUTCOMES We have a global mission that matters and an opportunity to serve our nation every day NSA CREATIVE IMAGING_085198 VW