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New DOD command planned for cyber warfare

The new cyberspace command would engage in defensive and offensive warfare

A new Defense Department cyber command will both protect computers and networks in the United States and engage in offensive cyberspace warfare, according to media reports.

The new command will coordinate its efforts with a civilian cybersecurity office, according to a New York Times report.

Ira Winkler, president of Internet Security Advisors Group, favors the idea of having a unified cyber command, but he questions who will run it.

“Clearly, the National Security Agency is the most capable with regard to the scope of effort,” Winkler writes in a column for ComputerWorld. “But at the same time, I realize that the NSA's primary mission is to support the Department of Defense, and from a mission perspective, it needs to support the military, not rule the military. That doesn't mean that the bulk of the operations can't be at Fort Meade.”

Earlier this month, the Air Force announced that its cyber command, the 24th Air Force, would be based at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, according to Defense Systems.

About the Author

Doug Beizer is a staff writer for Federal Computer Week.

Reader comments

Thu, Jun 4, 2009 James Murray Eatontown, NJ

Cyber Warfare should incorporate all Homeland Security activities, if not any fragments would result in security risk.

Mon, Jun 1, 2009

Just how many cyber commands and cyber warfare commands does DoD need? This reminds me greatly of the turf battles when the space/missile age started, and the more recent turf battles and duplications of effort for long-haul telecom and IP networks. Everybody has to be in charge, so nobody is in charge. It's all the same store, folks. Come up with a set of requirements and common-service it for everyone.

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