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The Pentagon’s cyberstrategy, one year later: CNN

On October 3rd, 2011, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn III wrote for CNN on the status of the US cyberstrategy.  Noting that the danger of cyberwarfare rivals that of traditional warfare, Lynn continued the call for the US to strengthen its criticial networks against cyberattacks, reiterated that cyberspace is now an operational domain, and projected that cyberattacks will be a significant component of future conflicts.

Lynn went on to say that the United States is now in the midst of a strategic shift in the cyberthreat; cyberthreats have elevated from intrusions largely for the purpose of exploitation to cybertechnologies that are capable of destroying critical networks, causing physical damage, or altering the performance of key systems.  Furthermore, where sophisticated cyber capabilities currently reside with nation states, these "toxic technologies" are proliferating so that terrorist groups and rogue states are acquiring, refining, and expanding their cyber capabilities.  Lynn believes that "there will eventually be a marriage of capability and intent, where those who mean to harm the United States will gain the ability to launch a damaging attack. The United States must develop stronger defenses before this occurs."

To meet this growing threat, Lynn pointed to the Department of Defense's five pillars of cyberdefense: treating cyberspace as an operational domain, like land, air, sea, and outer space; employing active defenses to stop malicious code before it affects our networks; protecting commercial networks that operate the critical infrastructure that our military relies upon; joining with allies to mount a collective cyberdefense; and mobilizing industry to redesign network technology with security in mind. (The strategy is available at www.defense.gov/cyber.)

Finally, Lynn noted the importance of protecting critical infrastructure and private companies from cyber-intrustion.  Mentioning the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) Cyber Pilot, the government program which shares classified threat intelligence with private companies or their Internet service providers, Lynn argues that government entities and private companies should increasingly work together to combat cyberthreats.

The source article can be found here.

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