CybersecurityU.S. military’s cybersecurity’s capacity and capabilities

Published 16 March 2018

The military service chiefs of cybersecurity see an upward trend in the capacity, capabilities, sophistication and persistence of cyber threats against military networks, Navy Vice Adm. Michael M. Gilday, the commander of U.S. Fleet Cyber Command and U.S. 10th Fleet said on Capitol Hill Tuesday.

The military service chiefs of cybersecurity see an upward trend in the capacity, capabilities, sophistication and persistence of cyber threats against military networks, Navy Vice Adm. Michael M. Gilday, the commander of U.S. Fleet Cyber Command and U.S. 10th Fleet said on Capitol Hill Tuesday.

Gilday appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee’s panel on cybersecurity with his military counterparts:, Army Lt. Gen. Paul M. Nakasone, commander of U.S. Army Cyber Command; Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Loretta E. Reynolds, commander of Marine Forces Cyberspace Command; and Air Force Maj. Gen. Christopher P. Weggeman, commander of the 24th Air Force and Air Forces Cyber.

“Cyberspace intersects every one of our Navy’s missions and requires an adaptive approach to counter the threat,” Gilday said.

The Navy’s approach for offensive and defensive cyber covers modernizing its networks, investing in new technologies and partnerships and carefully managing the talents of its people, he said.

“We are modernizing and defending our networks by implementing our cyber resilience strategy focused on hardening our network infrastructure and reducing its attack surface,” Gilday said. “[We’ve] extended our defensive posture to include deploying defensive cyber teams with our carrier strike groups and our amphibious readiness groups.”

Navy technologies, partnerships
DOD says that Navy cyber is investing in new technologies and partnerships for the offense and the defense through a series of initiatives including transitioning to cloud-based technologies, the admiral said. “At the same time we are investing in improvements to defend and to gain better situational awareness deep inside our networks,” he added. “We are leveraging that data sciences through the Navy’s new digital warfare office and collaborating with industry and academia to apply new technologies like machine learning and artificial intelligence.”

The Navy also has stood up two commands — one each for doctrine and training — both improving the integration of cyberspace and electronic warfare into fleet operations, he said.

“We’re committed to growing and sustaining our talent base,” Gilday said. “Now that all 40 Navy cyber teams have reached full operational capability, we are focused … on sustaining a mission-ready force.”

With room to grow, the admiral said, work needs to be done in how Navy cyber recruits, trains, retains, rewards and fights, while ensuring its forces are equipped to compete and defeat the adversary.