Readily available technology means cyber actors no longer require big budgets or state-of-the-art software to wage war- they just need a laptop and the right skills. As today’s digital and geopolitical landscapes grow more complex, cyberwarfare has emerged as a powerful equalizer, capable of shifting the balance of power online and on the ground. The methodologies we have perfected at Tier Tech International over the last 20+ years are well-suited for this new world. Here are some major issues our nation faces, and how we believe our Strategic Design Approaches (SDA) can keep our nation secure.
Cyber and the Information Environment:
Per the DoD, cyberwarfare is an aspect of information warfare (IW) and executed within the information environment (IE). Operations in the Information Environment (OIE) are comprised of cyber operations, psychological operations, electronic warfare (EW), and public affairs. These information-related capabilities (IRC) are all used to accomplish specific objectives through cyberspace within the IE.
Cyberattacks across Ukraine and Israel have shown how cyberwarfare can overlap with kinetic actions. In Ukraine, Russian cyberattacks are often sequenced to impact their targets shortly before a kinetic missile or drone strike, thus distracting Ukrainian defenders before the main assault. Iranian-backed “hacktivist” groups sequenced cyber and kinetic strikes similarly during their recent drone and missile campaign across Israel. Sequenced cyber and kinetic strikes amplify the effects of both attack methodologies.
How the United States Employs its Cyber Capabilities:
United States Cyber Command takes a “defend forward” approach to cyber operations through proactively engaging malicious cyber activity before it can affect US and allied computer networks. This approach neatly nests with the United States Government’s larger concept of peace through strength, which emphasizes deterrence through military power- across all capabilities- to accomplish its objectives.
Cyber activities are a crucial component of the DoD’s campaigning, defined as conducting and sequencing long-term military activities below the threshold of war- the gray zone- to achieve strategic-level objectives. Cyber operations play a critical role in shaping both the security and information environments for the conduct of effective integrated whole-of-government options.
Through defending forward, maintaining a persistent presence in cyberspace, and integrating deterrence approaches, the United States Government can effectively increase the costs and decrease the benefits of malicious cyber activity, thereby effecting positive change in cyberspace.
Cyber-enabled vulnerabilities:
The enemy always has a vote, and this is especially true in cyberspace. Cyber activity is not constrained solely to military operations. In fact, the vast majority of cyberattacks target individuals and private businesses to seek financial gains- not to advance a political, military, or social objective.
As the world becomes increasingly reliant on digital information in appliances, vehicles, and critical infrastructure- collectively the “Internet of Things” (IoT)- the attack surface for malicious cyber activity grows, forcing cybersecurity to constantly adapt at the international, national, organizational, and individual levels.
How Can TTI Help?
Where there is risk, there is opportunity. Through TTI’s Risk Informed Opportunity Sequences (RIOS), your organization can quantifiably identify assets crucial for protection, but also opportunities for proactive cybersecurity and threat intelligence.
The cyber battlefield can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to face it alone. At Tier Tech International, we work alongside you to identify vulnerabilities, build resilience, and stay ahead of emerging threats. Together we can make sure you’re ready for whatever comes next.
