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The new fight: Writing cyber into the science of war

Every year, the Aspen Security Forum brings together the top minds in defense, intelligence and homeland security. This year, more than ever, the conversa-
tion is turning to cybersecurity – protecting computer networks and everything attached to them. Cyber is constantly changing the way conflicts and combat
unfold. Here, former U.S. Navy Rear Adm. William Leigher offers insights on adapting the principles of kinetic warfare to handle the ever-evolving cyber
threat: The future of cyber warfare starts at basic training.

One of the most remarkable things about boot your adversaries are to attack. Deterrence has the next major act of war will happen online –
camp is that a kid can go in not knowing what an worked brilliantly throughout history, but when a “cyber Pearl Harbor.” The problem with the
M16 looks like, and come out able to assemble it comes to cybersecurity, the strategy falls comparison is that the attack on Pearl Harbor
one while taking enemy fire. Cyber warfare de- apart. became obvious as soon as the ambush start-
mands the same type of weapon – powerful, por- ed. Skilled cyber attacks are far more insidious.
table and effective even in the hands of novices. Think about deterrence tactics – an army pa-
rading its tanks down the street. Now imagine They unfold slowly and strategically. Just
Our experts call it the “easy button,” and they if showing off those tanks gave away every pos- like military operations, they begin with intel-
caution that the enemy already has it. Hackers sible means of defeating them. That’s what we’re ligence – information-gathering. Dossiers. Re-
no longer need to know lines upon lines of com- dealing with in cyber warfare. Showing adver- connaissance. Then comes the analysis – pick-
puter commands; today they simply launch a saries what you have allows them to render it ing the information apart, creating aim-points
program and tap or click their way to calamity. useless. and deciding how, when and where to attack.
Our service men and women deserve cyber ca- But unlike traditional military attacks, the in-
pabilities with the same ease of use – powerful Unlike other acts of war, cyber attacks don’t telligence breaches and battle damage from
software running on a cleanly designed interface necessarily happen in close combat – they take cyber strikes isn’t always immediately obvious
that will allow even the greenest soldiers, sailors, place from afar. The perpetrators aren’t flying – in fact, it can take months or even years to
Marines and airmen to venture out into the field their national flag – they often operate in isola- detect.
and knock out power to an enemy base or jam a tion and secrecy. You can deter a hostile nation-
computer network to thwart an incoming attack. state’s military by having them outnumbered For years, cybersecurity experts have warned
and outgunned, but keeping a shadowy cyber that high-stakes hacks were inevitable – a mat-
DETERRENCE LOOKS DIFFERENT force at bay is far more complicated. ter of when, not if. It’s time to take the thinking
Deterrence is a classic military tactic: The
more visible power you have, the less likely ATTACKS AREN’T OBVIOUS See SECURITY, Page 10
There’s a lot of talk in cyber circles about how