Feb. 26, 2018

Virtual Currency in a Cashless Society: A Potential Window into Economic Cyberwarfare

Science and technology have been an enormous part of America’s economic success since its formation. In the modern age, innovation lends itself to cyberspace, and more specifically, to financial technology (fintech). Global trade and investment are now increasingly tied to nation-state actors, with fintech playing a massive role in this connection

Dec. 7, 2017

Stabilizing the Borderland: Confronting IO, EW and Cyber in Ukraine

The report provides a detailed and robust look at the challenges Ukraine has faced, the perceptions of those involved in its security, defense, and education, and provides recommendations for future engagements. Our mission was to look beyond the headlines, to delve into the details, and give an unvarnished look at the utilization of cyber, EW, and IO in a hybrid conflict.

Aug. 1, 2017

Book Review: Data and Goliath: The Hidden Battles to Collect Your Data and Control your World

We all surrender privacy in some form and fashion and allow companies to gather data so these enterprises can better serve us. Our cell phone provider needs to know where we are to route calls to the appropriate cell tower. As consumers and users, we allow the cell phone company to track and follow our moves because the convenience of being able to receive a call is greater than our perceived loss of privacy. For the last twenty years, Americans have accepted that the benefit of convenience outweighs the loss of privacy.

May 1, 2017

The Cyberspace Workforce: An Array of Opportunities

In private industry, businesses identify employment needs, create job openings, and attempt to attract talent. Likewise, the U.S. Army created the Cyber branch in a similar manner.

April 27, 2017

Four Imperatives for Cybersecurity Success in the Digital Age: Part 2

Having joined Palo Alto Networks following a 35-year career in the U.S. military, the last decade of which I served in a variety of leadership positions in cyber operations, strategy and policy, I have found that many of the cybersecurity challenges we face from a national security perspective are the same in the broader global business environment. This blog post series describes what I consider to be four major imperatives for cybersecurity success in the digital age, regardless of whether your organization is a part of the public or private sector.

April 5, 2017

The Value of Intelligence and Secrets

Secretary of State Henry Stimson was famously quoted “Gentlemen don’t read each other’s mail” in 1929. Just a couple years later during the 1930-31 London Naval Conference and the 1932 Geneva Disarmament Conference, Secretary Stimson would come to understand and appreciate the value of national security intelligence and would reverse himself.

March 30, 2017

Necessary Audacity: A Case for a U.S. Cyber Academy

On March 21, 2017, Foreign Policy published an article by Dr. Mark Hagerott and Admiral (Ret.) James Stravridis entitled “Trump’s Big Defense Buildup Should Include a National Cyber Academy.” The authors recommended “the creation of something audaciously different but critical to winning the wars of the future: a U.S. cyber academy.” They explicitly endorse a national cyber service academy much like the US Military Academy (USMA), Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy.

March 28, 2017

Cyberspace in Multi-Domain Battle

For months, a nation state has covertly infiltrated a neighboring state’s critical networks while massing armored forces along its common border with a US ally. While the adversary prepares to launch a massive cyber-attack on its neighbor state, its tanks are readied to roll over the border.

March 21, 2017

Cyber (In)Security: Decision-Making Dynamics When Moving Out of Your Comfort Zone

“Every assumption we hold, every claim, every assertion, every single one of them must be challenged.” — General Mark A. Milley, 39th Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army. This paper focuses on how the dynamic speed of change and the compression of time in cybersecurity move individuals and organizations out of their comfort zones.

March 1, 2017

Joint Interagency Coordination: How Can the Reserve Component Be Better Utilized to Defend Our Nation in the Cyber Arena?

In a time of constrained and reduced resources and to fortify the protection against the ever-increasing global cyber threats, the United States (US) must do more with less and better utilize its existing resources. The Reserve Components (RC) of the US military are filled with cyber expertise gained through civilian and military training as well as job experience. If the Department of Defense (DoD) can develop a program to better utilize the experience and skills resident in the Reserves, the US military can improve the nation’s cyber capabilities and better protect its networks.