New Rules of Engagement: US Goes on the Attack to Fight Escalating Cyberwar
WASHINGTON – The Pentagon is empowering US cyberforces to take a more aggressive approach in defending the nation against cyberattacks, The New York Times reports.
The shift in strategy comes at a time when the US has been the target of major cyberattacks by nuclear-armed adversaries such as Russia, China and North Korea.
The paper notes that, until recently, US Cyber Command has for the most part taken a defensive posture in its efforts to fend off foreign hackers.
According to the Times, Trump administration officials say the change was not formally debated inside the White House before it was issued.
While the new offensive posture could increase the risk of conflict with foreign malicious hacking groups, Gen. Paul Nakasone, head of Cyber Command, argues it's necessary.
"By conducting operations to frustrate and counter adversary cyberactivities to decrease will, increase cost and deny benefits," the US could begin to deliver more decisive blows with its attacks, the Times quoted Nakasone.
Similarly, during congressional testimony back in March, Gen. John E. Hyten warned that if the US was going to effectively defend itself in cyberspace, it needed clear rules of engagement.
"Cyberspace needs to be looked at as a warfighting domain," the head of Strategic Command told lawmakers. "And if somebody threatens us in cyberspace, we need to have the authorities to respond."
Military experts have widely believed that the US hasn't put together a strong defense against ongoing cyberattacks from other countries.
"To maintain military superiority in this multipolar, all-domain world, we must out-think, out-maneuver, out-partner and out-innovate our adversaries," Hyten said. "Deterrence in the 21st century requires the integration of all our capabilities, across all domains, enabling us to respond to adversary aggression anytime, anywhere."
That sentiment is succinctly summed up in the US Cyber Command's new vision statement, which is to "contest dangerous adversary activity before it impairs our national power."
