Protecting the American People: An Overview of the 2023 DoD Cyber Strategy

The Department of Defense (DoD) has recently shared its classified 2023 DoD Cyber Strategy with Congress, outlining its approach to operating in and through cyberspace to protect the American people and advance the defense priorities of the United States. This strategy is aligned with the 2022 National Security Strategy and the 2022 National Defense Strategy and builds upon the 2018 DoD Cyber Strategy while complementing the 2023 National Cybersecurity Strategy.

Grounded in real-world experience, the 2023 DoD Cyber Strategy takes into account significant cyberspace operations conducted by the Department since 2018. These operations have been carried out through the policy of defending forward, actively disrupting malicious cyber activity before it can impact the U.S. Homeland. Additionally, the strategy is informed by Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which showcased how cyber capabilities can be employed in large-scale conventional conflicts.

The Department's approach to the cyber domain is shaped by these experiences and emphasizes several key points:

1. Integrated Deterrence: The Department aims to maximize its cyber capabilities to support integrated deterrence. This involves employing cyberspace operations in conjunction with other national instruments of power.

2. Campaigning Below the Level of Armed Conflict: The Department will conduct operations in and through cyberspace below the level of armed conflict. This approach reinforces deterrence and frustrates adversaries.

3. Protection and Reinforcement of Allies and Partners: The Department recognizes the importance of the United States' global network of Allies and partners in the cyber domain. It acknowledges that this network represents a foundational advantage that must be protected and reinforced.

The Department faces an increasingly contested cyberspace environment characterized by various threats:

• The People's Republic of China (PRC): The PRC is identified as the Department's pacing challenge in the cyber domain. It has made significant investments in military cyber capabilities and has authorized proxy organizations to engage in malicious cyber activities against the United States.

• Russia: Russia poses a significant threat in cyberspace, demonstrated by its malign influence efforts against the United States and repeated cyber attacks targeting Ukrainian civilian critical infrastructure.

• North Korea, Iran, and Violent Extremist Organizations: These entities continue to present persistent cyber threats.

• Transnational Criminal Organizations: These groups pose a unique threat in cyberspace due to their technical expertise and close alignment with the foreign policy objectives of their host governments.

To address these current and future cyber threats, the Department will pursue four complementary lines of effort:

1. Defend the Nation: The Department will conduct campaigns in and through cyberspace to gain insights into malicious cyber actors. It will also defend forward to disrupt and degrade the capabilities and supporting ecosystems of these actors. Additionally, the DoD will collaborate with interagency partners to enhance the cyber resilience of critical infrastructure and counter threats to military readiness.

2. Prepare to Fight and Win: The Department will prioritize the cybersecurity of the DoD Information Network and invest in the cyber resilience of the Joint Force. Cyberspace operations will be employed to generate asymmetric advantages in support of the Joint Force's plans and operations.

3. Protect the Cyber Domain with Allies and Partners: The Department will assist U.S. Allies and partners in building their cyber capacity and capability. It will expand avenues for potential cyber cooperation, conduct hunt forward operations to enhance cyber resiliency, and promote responsible state behavior by encouraging adherence to international law and recognized cyberspace norms.

4. Build Enduring Advantages in Cyberspace: The Department will optimize the organization, training, and equipping of Cyber Operations Forces and Service-retained cyber forces. Additionally, investments will be made in intelligence, science and technology, cybersecurity, and culture to enhance the enablers of cyberspace operations.

With a robust and integrated cyber capability, the Department aims to deter conflicts whenever possible and prevail when necessary. The 2023 DoD Cyber Strategy establishes a comprehensive framework for addressing cyber threats and safeguarding national security interests in an increasingly complex and contested cyber domain.