Cyber Key Terrain: A Conceptual Assessment

Abstract

This report presents an analysis of the concept of cyber key terrain. The conceptual analysis reviews use of the term in recent governmental and non-governmental studies, and is accompanied by an extensive annotated bibliography. This report contributes to a larger U.S. Marine Corps Cyberspace Key Terrain study, whose purpose is to analyze current approaches to the cyberspace key terrain concept within the Department of Defense (DoD) in order to enhance methodologies for identifying and analyzing the importance of cyberspace systems, services, and processes for Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) mission areas. This report contributes to that broader purpose by assessing the conceptual clarity of existing uses of the cyber key terrain concept and considering the utility of the concept as a means to effective mission planning. Two findings of this report bear reporting at the outset. The first of these findings is the limited scope of attention to the topic of cyber key terrain. The second concerns the general absence of awareness of the metaphorical quality of the concept of cyber key terrain in most applications.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 2016
Accession Number
AD1111645

Entities

People

  • Wade L. Huntley

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Cyber

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Application Software
  • Command And Control
  • Complex Systems
  • Computer Networks
  • Computers
  • Computing Devices
  • Cyber Defense Techniques
  • Cybersecurity
  • Cyberspace
  • Cyberspace Operations
  • Department Of Defense
  • Governments
  • Information Operations
  • Information Systems
  • Internet
  • Marine Corps
  • Military Operations
  • Military Planning
  • Situational Awareness
  • Terrorism
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Business Analytics
  • Defense Technology Research and Development.

Technology Areas

  • Cyber