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{{Short description|Military branch for cyber warfare}}
{{Redirect|Cyberforce|the superhero team|Cyberforce (Image Comics)}}
{{Redirect|Cyber Force|the superhero team|Cyber Force (comics)}}
A '''cyber force''' is a [[military branch]] of a nation's [[armed forces]] that conducts military operations in [[cyberspace]] and [[cyberwarfare]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Cyber-Crime: The Challenge in Asia|last1=Broadurst|first1=Rod|last2=Grabosky|first2=Peter|publisher=Hong Kong University Press|year=2005|isbn=9622097359|location=Hong Kong|pages=175}}</ref> The world's first independent cyber force was the [[People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force]], which was established in 2015 and also serves as China's [[space force]]. As of 2022, the world's only independent cyber forces are the PLA Strategic Support Force, the German [[Cyber and Information Domain Service]], [[Norwegian Cyber Defence Force]], and the Singapore [[Digital and Intelligence Service]].<ref>https://ccdcoe.org/uploads/2021/05/CyCon_2021_Blessing.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=August 2024}}</ref>


Most other countries organize their cyber forces into other military services or joint commands. Examples of joint cyber commands includes the [[United States Cyber Command]]<ref>https://ccdcoe.org/uploads/2021/05/CyCon_2021_Blessing.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=August 2024}}</ref>
A '''cyber force''' is a [[military branch]] devoted to [[cyberwarfare]], [[cybersecurity]], and counter-cyberwarfare. Its responsibilities could also include operations to combat [[cyberterrorism]]<ref>{{Cite book|title=Cyber-Crime: The Challenge in Asia|last=Broadurst|first=Rod|last2=Grabosky|first2=Peter|publisher=Hong Kong University Press|year=2005|isbn=9622097359|location=Hong Kong|pages=175}}</ref> and to establish cyber power projection.<ref>{{Cite book|title=ECCWS2016-Proceedings of the 15th European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security|last=Koch|first=Robert|last2=Rodosek|first2=Gabi|publisher=Academic Conferences and Publishing Ltd.|year=2016|isbn=9781910810934|location=Reading, UK|pages=191}}</ref> A cyber force can be part of a military branch or a combined command. Presently, it has no official definition although the [[United States Department of Defense]] Dictionary of Military and Associated terms provided relevant concepts that indicate cyber force could be constituted by personnel who conduct cyberspace operations in cyberspace and the activities include computer network operations (and its three subordinate constructs, which is attack, defense, and exploitation), and the routine operation and defense of [[cyberspace]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Other Quiet Professionals: Lessons for Future Cyber Forces from the Evolution of Special Forces|last=Paul|first=Christopher|last2=Porche III|first2=Isac|last3=Axelband|first3=Elliot|publisher=Rand Corporation|year=2014|isbn=9780833059734|location=Santa Monica, CA|pages=24}}</ref>


== History ==
From an international legal perspective, the use of cyber force or a force of an armed nature in the technical sense during a cyber conflict could be established under the framework of self-defense prescribed in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Cyber Security and Threats: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications|last=Information Resources Management Association|first=|publisher=IGI Global|year=2018|isbn=9781522556343|location=Hershey, PA|pages=1565}}</ref>
[[File:Xibu plassf.jpg|thumb|[[People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force]] personnel with a [[Russian Armed Forces|Russian military]] soldier. The PLA Strategic Support Force was established in 2015, becoming as the world's first independent cyber force.]]
In 2015, China created the world's first independent cyber force, establishing the [[People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force]].<ref>{{cite web |title=China's Strategic Support Force: The New Home of the PLA's Cyber Operations? |url=https://www.cfr.org/blog/chinas-strategic-support-force-new-home-plas-cyber-operations}}</ref> This was followed by Germany's establishment of the [[Cyber and Information Domain Service]] as the world's second cyber force in 2017 and Singapore's creation of the [[Digital and Intelligence Service]] as the world's third cyber force in 2022.<ref>{{cite web |title=Germany struggles to step up cyberdefense – DW – 08/07/2018 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/germany-struggles-to-step-up-cyberdefense/a-44979677 |website=[[Deutsche Welle]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Establishment of the Digital and Intelligence Service: A Significant Milestone for the Next Generation SAF |url=https://www.mindef.gov.sg/web/portal/mindef/news-and-events/latest-releases/article-detail/2022/October/28oct22_nr2}}</ref>


Within the United States, the [[United States Air Force]] was the early leader in military cyber operations. In 1995, it established the [[609th Information Warfare Squadron]], which was the first organization in the world to combine offensive and defensive cyber operation in support of military forces. Initially viewing cyber as a subdivision of [[information warfare]], the [[Twenty-Fifth Air Force|Air Intelligence Agency]] controlled many of the early cyber missions. The [[United States Army]] and [[United States Navy]] believed that the Air Force was attempting to seize the cyber mission for itself, pressuring the Air Force to stop the activation of [[Air Force Cyber Command (Provisional)|Air Force Cyber Command]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.airandspaceforces.com/article/from-cybernetics-to-cyberspace/ | title=From Cybernetics to Cyberspace }}</ref>
== United States ==
In 2009, the [[United States Cyber Command]] was created at the [[National Security Agency]] and was elevated to the status of a full and independent [[unified combatant command]] on May 4, 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://dod.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1511959/cybercom-to-elevate-to-combatant-command/|title=Cybercom to Elevate to Combatant Command|last=Ferdinando|first=Lisa|date=May 3, 2018|work=U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE|access-date=2018-10-11|language=en-US}}</ref> It has been reported that this branch carried out cyber attacks that damaged Iran's nuclear research facilities using [[Stuxnet]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/06/army-looks-at-cyber-soldiers-for-front-lines-as-battlefield-changes/|title=Facing limits of remote hacking, Army cybers up the battlefield|last=Gallagher|first=Sean|date=June 13, 2017|work=Ars Technica|access-date=2018-10-11|language=en-us}}</ref>


Instead, [[United States Cyber Command]] was created as a subunified command under [[United States Strategic Command]] in 2009 and [[United States Army Cyber Command|Army Cyber Command]], [[U.S. Fleet Cyber Command|Fleet Cyber Command]], [[Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command]], and [[Twenty-Fourth Air Force]] were created as service components.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://dod.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1511959/cybercom-to-elevate-to-combatant-command/|title=Cybercom to Elevate to Combatant Command|last=Ferdinando|first=Lisa|date=May 3, 2018|work=U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE|access-date=2018-10-11|language=en-US}}</ref> U.S. Cyber Command traces its history back to the 1998 establishment of Joint Task Force – Computer Network Defense, and its 2000 redesignation as Joint Task Force – Computer Network Operations under [[United States Space Command]]. Following the inactivation of Space Command and its merger into [[United States Strategic Command]] in 2002, Joint Task Force – Computer Network Operations was split into [[Joint Task Force – Global Network Operations]] and [[Joint Functional Component Command – Network Warfare]] in 2004 before being reunified under U.S. Cyber Command. In 2014, the U.S. Army established the [[Cyber Branch (United States Army)|Cyber Corps]], merging the offensive cyber role of the [[Military Intelligence Corps (United States Army)|Military Intelligence Corps]] and defensive cyber role of the [[United States Army Signal Corps|Signal Corps]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Journals/Military-Review/English-Edition-Archives/November-December-2020/Anderson-Cyber-History/ | title=Older Than You Realize Teaching Branch History to Army Cyberwarriors }}</ref>
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Retired [[United States Navy]] [[Admiral]] and [[Supreme Allied Commander Europe]] [[James G. Stavridis]], retired [[United States Army]] [[General]] [[Keith B. Alexander]], [[Director of the National Security Agency|Director]] of the [[National Security Agency]] and commander of [[United States Cyber Command]], and other [[United States military]] [[military officer|officers]] have called for the creation of a United States Cyber Force.<ref>[https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2013/09/29/why-nation-needs-cyber-force/quM4WWdJOh0FoSyE7rmxJI/story.html/ Why the nation needs a US Cyber Force]</ref><ref>[http://www.tomshardware.com/news/cyber-security-government-security-online-security-cyber-war,12238.html/ U.S. Military Cyber Chief Calls For Cyber Force]</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Costa|first=Robert|date=April 2002|title=SUPPORTING THE INFORMATION-CENTRIC 2001 QUADRENNIAL DEFENSE REVIEW:THE CASE FOR AN INFORMATION SERVICE|url=http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA420669|journal=Air University|publisher=United States Government|page=261|accessdate=July 28, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Conti|first=Gregory|last2=Surdu|first2=John "Buck"|date=Spring 2009|title=Army, Navy, Air Force, Cyber: Is it Time for a Cyberwarfare Branch of the Military?|url=http://www.rumint.org/gregconti/publications/2009_IAN_12-1_conti-surdu.pdf|journal=Information Assurance Newsletter|volume=12|issue=1|pages=14–18|accessdate=July 28, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Venable|first1=David|editor1-last=Vişoianu|editor1-first=Corneliu|editor2-last=Anghelache|editor2-first=Adina|title=Time For A Cyber Force?|journal=Strategikon Annual Book 2017|date=June 21, 2017|pages=170-176|url=http://www.strategikon.ro/news/2017-edition-strategikon-annual-book-year-challenging-choices/|accessdate=21 July 2017}}</ref>


⚫
In 2018, Cyber Command was elevated to a full [[unified combatant command]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cybercom.mil/About/History/ | title=Command History }}</ref> Periodic calls for the creation of a U.S. Cyber Force have occurred, with the most notable being by retired [[United States Navy]] [[Admiral]] and [[Supreme Allied Commander Europe]] [[James G. Stavridis]] and retired intelligence officer and cyber security businessman [[David Venable]].<ref>[https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2013/09/29/why-nation-needs-cyber-force/quM4WWdJOh0FoSyE7rmxJI/story.html/ Why the nation needs a US Cyber Force]</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Costa|first=Robert|date=April 2002|title=SUPPORTING THE INFORMATION-CENTRIC 2001 QUADRENNIAL DEFENSE REVIEW:THE CASE FOR AN INFORMATION SERVICE|url=http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA420669|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130095501/http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA420669|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 30, 2012|journal=Air University|publisher=United States Government|page=261|access-date=July 28, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Conti|first1=Gregory|last2=Surdu|first2=John "Buck"|date=Spring 2009|title=Army, Navy, Air Force, Cyber: Is it Time for a Cyberwarfare Branch of the Military?|url=http://www.rumint.org/gregconti/publications/2009_IAN_12-1_conti-surdu.pdf|journal=Information Assurance Newsletter|volume=12|issue=1|pages=14–18|access-date=July 28, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Venable|first1=David|editor1-last=Vişoianu|editor1-first=Corneliu|editor2-last=Anghelache|editor2-first=Adina|title=Time For A Cyber Force?|journal=Strategikon Annual Book 2017|date=June 21, 2017|pages=170–176|url=http://www.strategikon.ro/news/2017-edition-strategikon-annual-book-year-challenging-choices/|access-date=21 July 2017}}</ref>
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== Current cyber forces ==
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{{Main|List of paratrooper forces}}
There are now existing cyber forces in several countries such as the case of [[Norwegian Cyber Defence Force]]. One of its notable activities involved an incident in 2017 when it announced that it responded to a cyber attack carried out by "[[Fancy Bear]]", a cyber espionage group associated with Russian interests.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsinenglish.no/2017/01/16/fancy-bear-also-growls-at-norway/|title=‘Fancy Bear’ also growls at Norway|date=January 16, 2017|website=www.newsinenglish.no|language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-11}}</ref> Recently formed cyber forces include the [[Ministry of Defence (Netherlands)|Dutch Ministry of Defense]]'s Defense Cyber Command (DCC). Its first commandant, Brig. Gen. Hans Folmer, outlined the branch's goal and how cyber capabilities form an integral part of Dutch military action in an article called "Defense Cyber Command: a New Branch to the Defense Tree".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.army.mil/article/188246/partnership_between_dutch_and_army_cyber_brigade_benefits_both_nations|title=Partnership between Dutch and Army Cyber Brigade Benefits Both Nations|last=Stover|first=Steven|date=May 23, 2017|work=www.army.mil|access-date=2018-10-11|language=en}}</ref>


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== Cyber forces ==
⚫
The following list outlines the cyber forces currently in operation around the world:
⚫
{{Main|List of cyber warfare forces}}


⚫
The following list outlines the independent cyber forces currently in operation around the world:
*{{flagicon|China}} [[People's Liberation Army Cyberspace Force]]
*{{flagicon|Germany}} [[Cyber and Information Domain Service (Germany)|Cyber and Information Domain Service]]
*{{flagicon|Norway}} [[Norwegian Cyber Defence Force]]
*{{flagicon|Norway}} [[Norwegian Cyber Defence Force]]
*{{flagicon|Germany}} [[Cyber and Information Domain Service (Germany)|Cyber and Information Domain Service (CIR)]]
*{{flagicon|Singapore}} [[Digital and Intelligence Service]]


== See also ==
== See also ==
* [[National Cyber Security Centre (disambiguation)]]
* [[National Cyber Security Centre (disambiguation)]]
* [[Cyber-power literacy]]
* [[Cyber-power literacy]]
* [[List of cyber warfare forces]]


== References ==
== References ==

Latest revision as of 13:43, 20 August 2024

"Cyber Force" redirects here. For the superhero team, see Cyber Force (comics).

A cyber force is a military branch of a nation's armed forces that conducts military operations in cyberspace and cyberwarfare.[1] The world's first independent cyber force was the People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force, which was established in 2015 and also serves as China's space force. As of 2022, the world's only independent cyber forces are the PLA Strategic Support Force, the German Cyber and Information Domain Service, Norwegian Cyber Defence Force, and the Singapore Digital and Intelligence Service.[2]

Most other countries organize their cyber forces into other military services or joint commands. Examples of joint cyber commands includes the United States Cyber Command[3]

History

[edit]
People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force personnel with a Russian military soldier. The PLA Strategic Support Force was established in 2015, becoming as the world's first independent cyber force.

In 2015, China created the world's first independent cyber force, establishing the People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force.[4] This was followed by Germany's establishment of the Cyber and Information Domain Service as the world's second cyber force in 2017 and Singapore's creation of the Digital and Intelligence Service as the world's third cyber force in 2022.[5][6]

Within the United States, the United States Air Force was the early leader in military cyber operations. In 1995, it established the 609th Information Warfare Squadron, which was the first organization in the world to combine offensive and defensive cyber operation in support of military forces. Initially viewing cyber as a subdivision of information warfare, the Air Intelligence Agency controlled many of the early cyber missions. The United States Army and United States Navy believed that the Air Force was attempting to seize the cyber mission for itself, pressuring the Air Force to stop the activation of Air Force Cyber Command.[7]

Instead, United States Cyber Command was created as a subunified command under United States Strategic Command in 2009 and Army Cyber Command, Fleet Cyber Command, Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command, and Twenty-Fourth Air Force were created as service components.[8] U.S. Cyber Command traces its history back to the 1998 establishment of Joint Task Force – Computer Network Defense, and its 2000 redesignation as Joint Task Force – Computer Network Operations under United States Space Command. Following the inactivation of Space Command and its merger into United States Strategic Command in 2002, Joint Task Force – Computer Network Operations was split into Joint Task Force – Global Network Operations and Joint Functional Component Command – Network Warfare in 2004 before being reunified under U.S. Cyber Command. In 2014, the U.S. Army established the Cyber Corps, merging the offensive cyber role of the Military Intelligence Corps and defensive cyber role of the Signal Corps.[9]

In 2018, Cyber Command was elevated to a full unified combatant command.[10] Periodic calls for the creation of a U.S. Cyber Force have occurred, with the most notable being by retired United States Navy Admiral and Supreme Allied Commander Europe James G. Stavridis and retired intelligence officer and cyber security businessman David Venable.[11][12][13][14]

Cyber forces

[edit]
Main article: List of cyber warfare forces

The following list outlines the independent cyber forces currently in operation around the world:

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Broadurst, Rod; Grabosky, Peter (2005). Cyber-Crime: The Challenge in Asia. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. p. 175. ISBN 9622097359.
  2. ^ https://ccdcoe.org/uploads/2021/05/CyCon_2021_Blessing.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  3. ^ https://ccdcoe.org/uploads/2021/05/CyCon_2021_Blessing.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  4. ^ "China's Strategic Support Force: The New Home of the PLA's Cyber Operations?".
  5. ^ "Germany struggles to step up cyberdefense – DW – 08/07/2018". Deutsche Welle.
  6. ^ "Establishment of the Digital and Intelligence Service: A Significant Milestone for the Next Generation SAF".
  7. ^ "From Cybernetics to Cyberspace".
  8. ^ Ferdinando, Lisa (May 3, 2018). "Cybercom to Elevate to Combatant Command". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  9. ^ "Older Than You Realize Teaching Branch History to Army Cyberwarriors".
  10. ^ "Command History".
  11. ^ Why the nation needs a US Cyber Force
  12. ^ Costa, Robert (April 2002). "SUPPORTING THE INFORMATION-CENTRIC 2001 QUADRENNIAL DEFENSE REVIEW:THE CASE FOR AN INFORMATION SERVICE". Air University. United States Government: 261. Archived from the original on November 30, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
  13. ^ Conti, Gregory; Surdu, John "Buck" (Spring 2009). "Army, Navy, Air Force, Cyber: Is it Time for a Cyberwarfare Branch of the Military?" (PDF). Information Assurance Newsletter. 12 (1): 14–18. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
  14. ^ Venable, David (June 21, 2017). Vişoianu, Corneliu; Anghelache, Adina (eds.). "Time For A Cyber Force?". Strategikon Annual Book 2017: 170–176. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
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