Best Practices to Consider when Building A National Civil Reserve Cyber Force (CRCF) Framework
Abstract
Within an era marked by escalating cyber threats to American critical infrastructure and an alarming shortage of cybersecurity professionals, this thesis explores the feasibility and structure of a Civilian Reserve Cyber Force (CRCF). Drawing inspiration from an array of established models, the research highlights existing best practices such as the National Guards organizational prowess, the Civil Reserve Air Fleets benchmark public/private synergies, the State Defense Forces exceptional history of volunteerism, and the United States Space Forces forward-thinking digital strategies. Mirroring international best practices, Estonia's comprehensive digital citizen initiative and strong North Atlantic Treaty Organization partnerships shores up its robust national cyber defense, while the UKs Cyber Reserves model exemplifies the successful melding of civilian expertise into military cyber operations. By synthesizing these elements, the thesis concludes with best practices among all the presented organizations along with recommended future research in the form of a provisional CRCF Concept of Operations table of contents, offering both a visionary blueprint for future cyber defense and a strategic roadmap to navigate potential pitfalls. The findings advocate for a holistic integration of proven strategies from domestic and global models, championing a unified, robust, and proactive CRCF to safeguard future American cyber interests.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1225395
Entities
People
- Brian J. Kroeller
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School