DoD's 'Cybercommand', in broad brushstrokes (FederalNewsRadio)

DoD's 'Cybercommand', in broad brushstrokes

FederalNewsRadio, 15 June 2009

Max Cacas

Calling it an "unprecedented challenge to the security of the United States," a top Pentagon official on Monday stopped short of announcing officially that the Department of Defense had officially set up its long-awaited cybercommand to protect the nation's military computer networks.

William Lynn III, Deputy Secretary of Defense, told a briefing at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington that his boss, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, is continuing to refine how the new cybercommand will function.

"The Secretary is evaluating proposals, the Joint Staff is still working out details of how this command will work, and what the working relationships are," Lynn said, responding to a question from FederalNewsRadio.

He adds that, insofar as Congress is concerned, the "commander of the cybercommand, if we decide to create that, would be subject to Senate confirmation."

This suggests that the next cyber-commander might be a flag officer, such as a four-star general, or an admiral, similar to the way that General David Petraeus runs the ward in Iraq and Afghanistan from a Central Command in Tampa, Florida.

Lynn described the proposed cybercommand as a "sub-unified command of an existing unified command" within the Pentagon, and as such would not require enabling conmgressional legislation to "stand up" the new military cybercommand.

He did pledge to "consult actively with Congress as we do this."

Lynn told CSIS fellows, the media and invited guests that "just as with our national dependence, there is no exaggerating our military dependence on our information networks."

He added, "This is not some future threat, the cyberthreat is right here, and it is right now. In fact, the cyber threat to the Department of Defense represents an unprecedented challenge to our national security by virtue of its source, its speed, and its scope."

The Assistant Secretary says the focus on setting up such a cybercommand, reflects a recognition by the Pentagon for cyberspace being "a domain - similar to land, air, sea and space, a domain that we have come to depend on, and need to protect."

He says that the proposed cybercommand would focus on .mil -- military data networks -- and work in conjunction with private companies and government agencies to jointly protect the .com and .gov Internet domains.

That includes, he says, the federal contracting community, which is such an important part of how the military gets its work done.