July 2, 2014
Daily News
GAO Launches Review of Cyber Command Mission, Interagency Coordination
The Government Accountability Office has begun investigating how well U.S. Cyber Command — which has focused on developing forces to blunt attacks against national critical infrastructure — has defined its mission, and how well it is coordinating with other federal agencies involved in cyber operations.
The House Armed Services Committee included a provision requiring the assessment in the version of the fiscal year 2015 defense authorization bill approved last month by the House. The Senate has not yet passed its companion bill.
“Consistent with our Congressional Protocols, GAO is beginning this work in response to a congressional mandate,” GAO wrote in a June 20 weekly activity report that was distributed on June 27 by the Defense Department inspector general’s office.
The GAO report, due March 31, 2015, would review CYBERCOM’s organization, mission, structure and authorities; its operational relationship with the Defense Department’s combatant commands; and whether “effective coordination mechanisms” have been established between the command and other federal agencies that have a role in cyberspace operations.
GAO plans to reach out to multiple stakeholders, including the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon’s policy chief, DOD’s chief information officer, the armed services, U.S.
Strategic Command, U.S. Cyber Command, the combatant commands, the Defense Information Systems Agency, the National Security Agency, the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department, among other organizations.
Last summer, Rand Beers, then DHS’ acting No. 2 leader, testified before Congress that DHS, DOD and DOJ had agreed to clarify their “cyber jurisdiction” roles.
“The group agreed that DHS’ primary role is to protect critical infrastructure and networks, coordinate mitigation and recovery, disseminate threat information across various sectors and investigate cyber crimes under DHS’s jurisdiction,” he testified. “DOJ is the lead for investigation, enforcement, and prosecution of those responsible for cyber intrusions affecting the United States. As part of DOJ, the FBI conducts domestic national security operations; investigates, attributes, and disrupts cyber crimes; and collects, analyzes, and disseminates domestic cyber intelligence. DOD’s role is to defend the nation, gather intelligence on foreign cyber threats, and to protect national security systems.”
Because CYBERCOM’s “highest priority is to defend the nation,” its force-development efforts have focused primarily on creating national mission teams to defend against a strategic cyber attack on national critical infrastructure, Commander Adm. Michael Rogers contended earlier this year in testimony for his confirmation hearing.
– Christopher J. Castelli
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