Defense Primer: Information Operations
Abstract
Information Warfare: While there is currently no official U.S. government (USG) definition of information warfare (IW), practitioners typically conceptualize it as a strategy for the use and management of information to pursue a competitive advantage, including both offensive and defensive operations. Strategy can be defined as the process of planning to achieve objectives and goals in the national interest. Operations link strategic objectives with tactics, techniques, and procedures. For IW strategy, that link is information operations (IO).Information Operations Past definitions within the DOD have conceptualized IO as a purely military activity involving a set of tactics or capabilities. In DOD Joint Publication (JP) 3-13 and the IO Roadmap, IO consisted of five pillars: computer network operations (CNO), which include computer network attack, computer network defense, and computer network exploitation; psychological operations (PSYOP); electronic warfare (EW); operations security (OPSEC); and military deception (MILDEC). With the advent of U.S. Cyber Command, CNO became cyberspace operations, offensive and defensive with its own doctrine in JP 3-12. In 2010,PSYOP became military information support operations(MISO), to reflect a broader range of activities and the existing Military Information Support Teams consisting of PSYOP personnel deployed at U.S. embassies overseas. Joint Publication 3-13.2 replaced the term PSYOP with MISO to more accurately reflect and convey the nature of planned peacetime or combat operations activities. The name change reportedly caused administrative confusion, and the services are beginning to revert to the PSYOP label.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 15, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1169650
Entities
People
- Catherine A. Theohary
Organizations
- Library of Congress