Cyber Offensive Operations: Is There a Digital Delta Force?
Kane S. VanVuren
Problem
As cyber-attacks become more frequent and cause more damage, the US government and the vast majority of private and commercial companies dig deeper into a defensive posture. Offensive cyber operations do not happen, except for maybe a few confidential US military or government (NSA) operations that cannot be confirmed or denied. Over 90 percent of the internet, including the massive amounts of data the travel through it; belong to non-government entities that so far are unable to punch back against their attackers.
There are many distractions concerning the use of offensive or counter-strike cyber weapons against attackers. These are valid points; however, while we discuss the morals and ethics of an attack against a foreign entity, or spend time comparing and contrasting Just War Theory, Law of Warfare (LOW), or Laws of Armed Conflict (LOAC) to the cyber domain; Russia and China are writing the next attack code and developing attack capabilities. James McGhee points out the while the Department of Defense (DoD) has touted its cyber force of 6,200, Russia and China have “tens of thousands doing the same kind of work" (2016, 59 emphasis added). Considering the frequency and skill of current attackers the US, both government and public internet users, need a new warrior, the Digital Delta Force.
http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/cyber-offensive-operations-there-digital-delta-force
