Information Operations, Cyberwarfare, and Cybersecurity: Capabilities and Related Policy Issues
Abstract
This report describes the emerging areas of information operations, cybersecurity, and cyberwar in the context of U.S. national security. It also notes related policy issues of potential interest to Congress. For military planners, the control of information is critical to military success, and communications networks and computers are of vital operational importance. The use of technology to both control and disrupt the flow of information has been generally referred to by several names: information warfare, electronic warfare, cyberwar, netwar, and Information Operations (IO). Currently, IO activities are grouped by the Department of Defense (DOD) into five core capabilities: (1) Psychological Operations, (2) Military Deception, (3) Operational Security, (4) Computer Network Operations, and (5) Electronic Warfare. Current U.S. military doctrine for IO now places increased emphasis on Psychological Operations, Computer Network Operations, and Electronic Warfare, which includes use of nonkinetic electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapons, and non-lethal weapons for crowd control. However, as high technology is increasingly incorporated into military functions, the boundaries between all five IO core capabilities are becoming blurred. DOD also acknowledges the existence of a cyber domain, which is similar to air, land, and sea. This new domain is the realm where military functions occur that involve manipulation of the electromagnetic spectrum. Control of the spectrum is essential to military success across all other domains. Definitions and examples of the overlapping categories of IO activity are contained in the appendixes. This report will be updated to accommodate significant changes.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 17, 2009
- Accession Number
- AD1172037
Entities
People
- Catherine A. Theohary
Organizations
- Library of Congress