EFFECTS OF DEFEND FORWARD ON SECURITY, STABILITY, AND U.S. INTERESTS IN THE CYBERSPACE DOMAIN

The defend forward cyber defense strategy is predicated on the notion of persistent engagement with adversaries in gray and red network space, to cause friction for adversaries before they can carry out malicious activity in U.S. network space. The U.S. Cyber Defense Strategy seeks to overmatch adversaries and cause friction by actively engaging adversaries outside of U.S. network space, albeit below the threshold of armed conflict. This strategy is designed to advance the security of U.S. national interests in the cyberspace domain. U.S. security strategies may have varying effects on stability in specific domains and in overall international relations. Defend forward is often criticized for being destabilizing in the cyberspace domain, and as such, security gains from defend forward are potentially outweighed by negative effects of a further destabilized domain. This thesis answers the following questions: What is the impact of defend forward on the security of U.S. interests and overall stability in the cyberspace domain? The thesis seeks to separate the effects that defend forward has on security and stability in order to understand how, and to what extent, the strategy impacts both. This ultimately enables a determination of the immediate and long-term efficacy of defend forward and the role stability has in relation to the security of U.S. interests in the cyberspace domain.
Lieutenant, United States Navy
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