Cyberspace Superiority: Dominating the Digital Frontier
Abstract
A combatant has cyberspace superiority when they have established an operational advantage in cyberspace to conduct operations. Cyberspace superiority can be compared to well established concepts of domain superiority in the maritime and air domains but it has unique characteristics. All of the domains have concepts of superiority but they differ in the importance of local versus universal domain superiority. Local cyberspace superiority is much more important and easier to achieve for cyberspace operators. Cyberspace superiority can be measured by utilizing a weighted preference methodology that considers offensive objectives, the importance of those objectives, defensive success, the importance of defended systems, and the relative importance of cyberspace to each combatant. Cyberspace superiority will tend to be very local and transitory with a rapid degradation once an attacker is identified by defenders. These characteristics were verified by a comparison of eight case studies where cyberspace superiority was always local and was only persistent in the one case study where the attack itself was hidden from the defender. The case studies also illustrated that the offense does not have an overwhelming advantage as the in 50% of the cases, the defenders maintained cyberspace superiority despite the inherent advantages of the offense where in cyberspace the attacker is hidden and the defender out in the open.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2014
- Accession Number
- ADA622182
Entities
People
- William D. Bryant
Organizations
- Air University