AFOSI Cyber Threat Pursuit: The Air Force's Outside the Box Response to Cyber Exploitation
Abstract
The purpose of this research paper is to encourage Air Force leaders to enhance the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) unique cyber threat pursuit capabilities to achieve effects on adversaries and offer an important alternative to military operations. The problem/solution framework is used to study the extent, if at all, the Air Force has overlooked AFOSI cyber threat pursuit and disruption capabilities. The paper argues the case for Air Force decision makers to allocate more resources toward AFOSIs ability to act where traditional Air Force cyber capabilities cannot. One key finding of this research is Air Force Cyber (AFCYBER), United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM), National Security Agency (NSA), and Department of Defense (DoD) network defense capabilities are not adequately enabled by policy or law to actively target cyber threat actors throughout the spectrum of conflict. An additional finding is AFOSI is enabled by law and policy to investigate, target, and counter cyber threats, during peacetime and war, whether criminal actors or nation-state entities. Some key recommendations include the idea current Air Force decision-makers should: further enable AFOSI by updating policy, supplying additional resources, and increasing AFOSIs cyber investigative manpower allocations so the Air Force can better exploit the full spectrum of cyberspace through AFOSIs mission and legal enablers.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1054729
Entities
People
- Daron M. Hartvigsen
Organizations
- Air Command and Staff College