Last week, Secrecy News reported on a secret execute order (EXORD) that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) issued to authorize and launch a military operation conducted by the Air Force (AF) in cyberspace. Further details of the classified EXORD of last June and on the operation remain undisclosed. It become known as a recently published Air Force Instruction on command and control (C2) for cyberspace operations referred to it.
On page 2, the document says:
Classified processes governing C2 of AF offensive and defensive cyberspace operations conducted by AF Cyber Mission Forces are addressed in a classified CJCS Execute Order (title classified) issued on 21 Jun 13.
To me, there are two points about these news that are worth emphasizing. First, as Secrecy News quoted Vice Admiral Michael S. Rogers, the nominee for Commander of US Cyber Command (CYBERCOM) and Director of the National Security Agency (NSA), “Geographic combatant commanders already have authority to direct and execute certain Defensive Cyberspace Operations (DCO) within their own networks.” My perception of general media coverage is that reporting on CYBERCOM often overshadows the fact that other Unified Combatant Commands also engage in the cyber domain. Further actors boosting cyber capabilities include the National Guard, as Politico reported last November.
And second, as Secrecy News judged from the new Air Force Instruction, the EXORD extends the defensive orientation of cyberspace activities, mandating expressis verbis “offensive” cyberspace operations.
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