Therefore, a fundamental issue is that both individual weapons programs already under development and fielded systems in the sustainment phase of the acquisition life cycle are beset by vulnerabilities. 16 The literature on nuclear deterrence theory is extensive. The database provides threat data used to compare with the results of a web vulnerability scan. Common firewall flaws include passing Microsoft Windows networking packets, passing rservices, and having trusted hosts on the business LAN. 2 (Summer 1995), 157181. 3 (January 2017), 45. Additionally, the current requirement is to assess the vulnerabilities of individual weapons platforms. This means that a singular static assessment is unlikely to capture how vulnerabilities may evolve and change over time.43 Relatedly, a 2018 Government Accountability Office report found pervasive and significant mission-critical vulnerabilities across most weapons systems already under development.44 Between 2012 and 2017, DOD penetration testersindividuals who evaluate the cybersecurity of computer systems and uncover vulnerabilitiesdiscovered mission-critical cyber vulnerabilities in nearly all weapon systems under development.45 Penetration testing teams were able to overcome weapons systems cybersecurity controls designed to prevent determined adversaries from gaining access to these platforms and to maneuver within compromised systems while successfully evading detection. In the case of WannaCry, the ransomware possessed the ability to infect entire connected networks from the entry point of a single vulnerable computer meaning that one vulnerability was enough to paralyze the entire system. Specifically, the potential for cyber operations to distort or degrade the ability of conventional or even nuclear capabilities to work as intended could undermine the credibility of deterrence due to a reduced capability rather than political will.17 Moreover, given the secret nature of cyber operations, there is likely to be information asymmetry between the deterring state and the ostensible target of deterrence if that target has undermined or holds at risk the deterring states capabilities without its knowledge. Troops have to increasingly worry about cyberattacks while still achieving their missions, so the DOD needs to make processes more flexible. Wireless access points that allow unauthorized connection to system components and networks present vulnerabilities. Most control systems have some mechanism for engineers on the business LAN to access the control system LAN. Erik Gartzke and Jon R. Lindsay (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2019), 104. As weapon systems become more software- and IT-dependent and more networked, they actually become more vulnerable to cyber-invasion. See National Science Board, Overview of the State of the U.S. S&E Enterprise in a Global Context, in. Communications between the data acquisition server and the controller units in a system may be provided locally using high speed wire, fiber-optic cables, or remotely-located controller units via wireless, dial-up, Ethernet, or a combination of communications methods. large versionFigure 13: Sending commands directly to the data acquisition equipment. Administration of the firewalls is generally a joint effort between the control system and IT departments. (Washington, DC: The Joint Staff, June 8, 2018), The term blue cyberspace denotes areas in cyberspace protected by [the United States], its mission partners, and other areas DOD may be ordered to protect, while red cyberspace refers to those portions of cyberspace owned or controlled by an adversary or enemy. Finally, all cyberspace that does not meet the description of either blue or red is referred to as gray cyberspace (I-4, I-5). Cybersecurity Personnel who secure, defend, and preserve data, networks, net-centric capabilities, and other designated systems by ensuring appropriate security controls and measures are in place, and taking internal defense actions. An attacker who wishes to assume control of a control system is faced with three challenges: The first thing an attacker needs to accomplish is to bypass the perimeter defenses and gain access to the control system LAN. In order for a force structure element for threat-hunting across DODIN to have more seamless and flexible maneuver, DOD should consider developing a process to reconcile the authorities and permissions to enable threat-hunting across all DODIN networks, systems, and programs. 19 For one take on the Great Power competition terminology, see Zack Cooper, Bad Idea: Great Power Competition Terminology (Washington, DC: Center for Strategic and International Studies, December 1, 2020), available at . The added strength of a data DMZ is dependent on the specifics of how it is implemented. This provides an added layer of protection because no communications take place directly from the control system LAN to the business LAN. As the 2017 National Security Strategy notes, deterrence today is significantly more complex to achieve than during the Cold War. Items denoted by a * are CORE KSATs for every Work Role, while other CORE KSATs vary by Work Role. Prioritizing Weapon System Cybersecurity in a Post-Pandemic Defense Department May 13, 2020 The coronavirus pandemic illustrates the extraordinary impact that invisible vulnerabilitiesif unmitigated and exploitedcan have on both the Department of Defense (DOD) and on national security more broadly. Two years ago, in the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act [1], Congress called on the Defense Department to evaluate the extent of cyber vulnerabilities in its weapons systems by 2019. Directly helping all networks, including those outside the DOD, when a malicious incident arises. 5 For a notable exception, see Erik Gartzke and Jon R. Lindsay, eds., Cross-Domain Deterrence: Strategy in an Era of Complexity (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2019). This website uses cookies to help personalize and improve your experience. However, there is no clear and consistent strategy to secure DODs supply chain and acquisitions process, an absence of a centralized entity responsible for implementation and compliance, and insufficient oversight to drive decisive action on these issues. "These weapons are essential to maintaining our nation . Cyber Defense Infrastructure Support. 22 Daniel R. Coats, Annual Threat Assessment Opening Statement, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, January 29, 2019, available at . A person who is knowledgeable in process equipment, networks, operating systems and software applications can use these and other electronic means to gain access to the CS. 10 Lawrence Freedman, Deterrence (Cambridge, UK: Polity, 2004), 26. Additionally, cyber-enabled espionage conducted against these systems could allow adversaries to replicate cutting-edge U.S. defense technology without comparable investments in research and development and could inform the development of adversary offset capabilities. 3 (2017), 454455. a. This discussion provides a high level overview of these topics but does not discuss detailed exploits used by attackers to accomplish intrusion. 64 As DOD begins to use and incorporate emerging technology, such as artificial intelligence, into its weapons platforms and systems, cybersecurity will also need to be incorporated into the early stages of the acquisitions process. And, if deterrence fails, cyber operations to disrupt or degrade the functioning of kinetic weapons systems could compromise mission assurance during crises and conflicts. An attacker that gains a foothold on the control system LAN must discover the details of how the process is implemented to surgically attack it. However, the credibility conundrum manifests itself differently today. NON-DOD SYSTEMS RAISE CONCERNS. However, GAO reported in 2018 that DOD was routinely finding cyber vulnerabilities late in its development process. None of the above A binding operational directive is a compulsory direction to federal, executive branch, departments and agencies for purposes of safeguarding federal information . Increasing its promotion of science, technology, engineering and math classes in grade schools to help grow cyber talent. 20 See, for example, Eric Heginbotham et al., The U.S.-China Military Scorecard: Forces, Geography, and the Evolving Balance of Power, 19962017 (Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2015); Michle A. Flournoy, How to Prevent a War in Asia, Foreign Affairs, June 18, 2020; Christopher Layne, Coming Storms: The Return of Great-Power War, Foreign Affairs, November/December 2020; Daniel R. Coats, Worldwide Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community (Washington, DC: Office of the Director of National Intelligence, February 13, 2018), available at https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/Newsroom/Testimonies/2018-ATA---Unclassified-SSCI.pdf. As adversaries cyber threats become more sophisticated, addressing the cybersecurity of DODs increasingly advanced and networked weapons systems should be prioritized. 8 Gordon Lubold and Dustin Volz, Navy, Industry Partners Are Under Cyber Siege by Chinese Hackers, Review Asserts, Wall Street Journal, March 2019, available at ; Zak Doffman, Cyber Warfare: U.S. Military Admits Immediate Danger Is Keeping Us Up at Night, Forbes, July 21, 2019, available at . Cyberspace is critical to the way the entire U.S. functions. But given the interdependent and networked nature of multiple independent weapons systems, merely assessing individual platforms misses crucial potential vulnerabilities that may arise when platforms interact with one another. Task Force Report: Resilient Military Systems and the Advanced Cyber Threat, (Washington, DC: DOD, January 2013), available at <, https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB424/docs/Cyber-081.pdf, Audit of the DoDs Management of the Cybersecurity Risks for Government Purchase Card Purchases of the Commercial Off-the-Shelf Items, , Report No. The second most common architecture is the control system network as a Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) off the business LAN (see Figure 4). The hacker group looked into 41 companies, currently part of the DoD's contractor network. , ed. With over 1 billion malware programs currently out on the web, DOD systems are facing an increasing cyber threat of this nature. These include the SolarWinds breach,1 ransomware attacks on Colonial Pipeline2 and the JBS meat processing company,3 and a compromise of the email systems of the U.S. Agency for International Development.4 U.S. officials have indicated their belief that Russia either sponsored . Through the mutual cooperation between industry and the military in securing information, the DoD optimizes security investments, secures critical information, and provides an . 6 Office of the Secretary of Defense, Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the Peoples Republic of China 2020 (Washington, DC: DOD, 2020). Our risk assessment gives organizations a better view of how effective their current efforts are and helps them identify better solutions to keep their data safe. Even more concerning, in some instances, testing teams did not attempt to evade detection and operated openly but still went undetected. Threat-hunting entails proactively searching for cyber threats on assets and networks. , ed. The Department of Defense (DOD) strategic concept of defend forward and U.S. Cyber Commands concept of persistent engagement are largely directed toward this latter challenge. Risks stemming from nontechnical vulnerabilities are entirely overlooked in strategies and policies for identifying and remediating cyber vulnerabilities in DOD weapons systems. In that case, it is common to find one or more pieces of the communications pathways controlled and administered from the business LAN. All three are securable if the proper firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and application level privileges are in place. An attacker will attempt to take over a machine and wait for the legitimate user to VPN into the control system LAN and piggyback on the connection. DOD must additionally consider incorporating these considerations into preexisting table-top exercises and scenarios around nuclear force employment while incorporating lessons learned into future training.67 Implementing these recommendations would enhance existing DOD efforts and have a decisive impact on enhancing the security and resilience of the entire DOD enterprise and the critical weapons systems and functions that buttress U.S. deterrence and warfighting capabilities. This could take place in positive or negative formsin other words, perpetrating information as a means to induce operations to erroneously make a decision to employ a capability or to refrain from carrying out a lawful order. The department will do this by: Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Four Pillars U.S. National Cyber Strategy, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. A Cyber Economic Vulnerability Assessment (CEVA) shall include the development . 29 Borghard and Lonergan, The Logic of Coercion; Brandon Valeriano, Benjamin Jensen, and Ryan C. Maness, Cyber Strategy: The Evolving Character of Power and Coercion (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018); An Interview with Paul M. Nakasone, 4. GAO Warns Of Cyber Security Vulnerabilities In Weapon Systems The purpose of the Cyber Awareness Challenge is to influence behavior, focusing on actions that authorized users can engage to mitigate threats and vulnerabilities to DoD Information Systems. Cyber vulnerabilities to DOD Systems may include many risks that CMMC compliance addresses. . Encuentro Cuerpo Consular de Latinoamerica - Mesa de Concertacin MHLA That means a thorough strategy is needed to preserve U.S. cyberspace superiority and stop cyberattacks before they hit our networks. In the Defense Department, it allows the military to gain informational advantage, strike targets remotely and work from anywhere in the world. 1735, 114th Cong., Pub. See also Martin C. Libicki, David Senty, and Julia Pollak, Hackers Wanted: An Examination of the Cybersecurity Labor Market (Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2014), x; Julian Jang-Jaccard and Surya Nepal, A Survey of Emerging Threats in Cybersecurity, Journal of Computer and System Sciences 80, no. 25 Libicki, Cyberspace in Peace and War, 4142; Jon R. Lindsay, Tipping the Scales: The Attribution Problem and the Feasibility of Deterrence Against Cyberattack, Journal of Cybersecurity 1, no. Upgrading critical infrastructure networks and systems (meaning transportation channels, communication lines, etc.) The DoD Cyber Crime Center's DoD Vulnerability Disclosure Program discovered over 400 cybersecurity vulnerabilities to national security. 28 Brantly, The Cyber Deterrence Problem; Borghard and Lonergan, The Logic of Coercion.. 14 Schelling, Arms and Influence; Erica D. Borghard and Shawn W. Lonergan, The Logic of Coercion in Cyberspace, Security Studies 26, no. This article recommends the DoD adopt an economic strategy called the vulnerability market, or the market for zero-day exploits, to enhance system Information Assurance. True Cyber Vulnerabilities to DoD Systems may include: All of the above DoD personnel who suspect a coworker of possible espionage should: Report directly to your CI or Security Office Under DoDD 5240.06 Reportable Foreign Intelligence Contacts, Activities, Indicators and Behaviors; which of the following is not reportable? Multiplexers for microwave links and fiber runs are the most common items. JFQ. Conducts deep-dive investigations on computer-based crimes establishing documentary or physical evidence, to include digital media and logs associated with cyber intrusion incidents. 9 Richard Ned Lebow and Janice Gross Stein, Deterrence and the Cold War, Political Science Quarterly 110, no. systems. An official website of the United States government Here's how you know. Often firewalls are poorly configured due to historical or political reasons. large versionFigure 1: Communications access to control systems. The types of data include data from the following sources: the data acquisition server, operator control interactions, alarms and events, and calculated and generated from other sources. 2 (January 1979), 289324; Thomas C. Schelling, The Strategy of Conflict (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1980); and Thomas C. Schelling, Arms and Influence (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1966). 52 Manual for the Operation of the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (Washington, DC: DOD, August 2018). The recent additions of wireless connectivity such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and LTE increase the risk of compromise. See also Alexander L. George, William E. Simons, and David I. which may include automated scanning/exploitation tools, physical inspection, document reviews, and personnel interviews. Security vulnerabilities refer to flaws that make software act in ways that designers and developers did not intend it to, or even expect. For example, China is the second-largest spender on research and development (R&D) after the United States, accounting for 21 percent of the worlds total R&D spending in 2015. By far the most common architecture is the two-firewall architecture (see Figure 3). Figure 1 presents various devices, communications paths, and methods that can be used for communicating with typical process system components. Control is generally, but not always, limited to a single substation. The ultimate objective is to enable DOD to develop a more complete picture of the scope, scale, and implications of cyber vulnerabilities to critical weapons systems and functions. Cybersecurity threats arent just possible because of hackers savviness. In cybersecurity, a vulnerability is known to be any kind of weakness exist with the aim to be exploited by cybercriminals to be able to have unauthorized access to a computer system. Counterintelligence Core Concerns Imagine you were to assess the risk associated with a cyber attack compromising a particular operating system. Actionable information includes potential system vulnerabilities, demonstrated means of exploitation of those vulnerabilities . These vulnerabilities pass through to defense systems, and if there are sophisticated vulnerabilities, it is highly unlikely they will be discovered by the DoD, whether on PPP-cleared systems or on heritage systems. Cyber threat activity recommended to be submitted as a voluntary report includes but is not limited to: Suspected Advance Persistent Threat (APT) activity; Compromise not impacting DoD information . Simply put, ensuring your systems are compliant, and setting up control in place are often the best efforts a company can make to protect its systems from cyberattacks. The consequences are significant, particularly in the nuclear command and control realm, because not employing a capability could undermine positive and negative control over nuclear weapons and inevitably the stability of nuclear deterrence. If you feel you are being solicited for information, which of the following should you do? 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