Assignment

The assignment should be no more and no fewer than eight pages. Attach the assignment as a word document. The assignment must follow the Chicago Style Manual guidelines. Refer to Kate Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 7th ed. Chicago. All written submissions should be submitted in Times New Roman 12 pt font with 1" margins, typewritten in double-spaced format. Follow the Turabian Format as the sole citation and reference style used in written work submitted as part of coursework.

Complete the following:

A recent cyber attack occurred where a botnet type attack targeted a major US defense firm. No physical damage occurred to the firm's network, but significant technological secrets about a new surveillance and targeting system from the firm, Defense Applications International (DAI), appear to have been compromised. Incidental, but nonetheless as a result of the attack, the virus also infected a software program that DAI was testing at electrical plant in Pennsylvania. The plant had to be shut down for 12 hours while repairs were made. The NSA believes it has credible evidence that the attack had a direct connection to the elite cyber unit Department 2112, of the country of Redistan, an adversary of the United States, although the attack itself appears to include private citizens of Redistan. The attack however, was routed through several third countries including Bluelandia, an ally of the United States.

You are a new cyber desk officer working for the National Security Council. The Deputy National Security Advisor has asked you to write an eight page memorandum addressing key issues of cyber policy. In the memorandum you have been asked to address the following issues:

1) Based off of the facts we know, should the attack be considered a crime, espionage or act of war? What should the US response be? How can the US best defend itself from future attacks such as the one that just occurred?

2) Should the United States assign US Cyber Command with the responsibility of protecting certain private companies and if so what should the general standard be for determining what companies the government should be responsible for defending.

3) Should the United States lead the effort at an international cyber agreement? Why or why not? What challenges would the President face in trying to get an agreement? Are there any alternatives?

4) Are there any substantive changes that should be made to our current US cyber policy?

Note: In crafting your memorandum you may allocate the content according to the importance of the issue. For example, you can allocate several pages to one issue if you believe it deserves more attention than the others, however, ensure that each question specified by the Deputy National Security Advisor is addressed. If you have read and understood the course material this will be a challenging, yet straight forward assignment. No more and no less than eight pages.

RESOURCES YOU CAN USE:

Kramer, Franklin D., Stuart H. Starr, and Larry K. Wentz Eds. From Cyberspace to Cyberpower: Cyberpower and National Security, Dulles VA: Potomac Books Inc., 2009.

Brown, Gary and Keira Poellet. "The Customary International Law of Cyberspace," Strategic Studies Quarterly 6:3 (2012):126-45. (Access via weekly reading folder under resources)

Denning, D. E. (2015). Rethinking the cyber domain and deterrence. Joint Forces Quarter. 2, 8-15. (Access via weekly reading folder under resources)

Department of Defense, The DOD Cyber Strategy, (Access via weekly reading folder under resources)

Dunlap Jr., Charles J. Maj Gen (Ret). "Perspectives for Cyber Strategists on Law for Cyber War." Strategic Studies Quarterly, (2011): 81-99 (Access via weekly reading folder under resources)

Forsyth, James W. "What Great Powers Make of It: International Order and the Logic of Cooperation in Cyberspace." Strategic Studies Quarterly 7:1 (2013) (

Hurwitz, Roger. "Depleted Trust in the Cyber Commons." Strategic Studies Quarterly 6:3 (2012): 20-45

Iasiello, E. (2013). Is Cyber deterrence an illusory course of action. Journal of Strategic Security, 7(1), 54-67.

Kenney, M. (2015). Cyber-terrorism in a post-stuxnet world. Orbis, 59(1), 111-128.

Libicki, Martin C., Cyberdeterrence and Cyberwar, RAND Report, Santa Monica: Rand Corp., 2009,

Libicki, Martin C. "Cyberspace is Not a Warfighting Domain." I/S A Journal of Law and Policy for the Information Society 8:2 (2012): 325-40,

Libicki, Martin C. "The Spectre of Non-Obvious Warfare." Strategic Studies Quarterly 6:3 (2012): 88 - 101

Lin, Herbert. "Escalation Dynamics and Conflict Termination in Cyberspace." Strategic Studies Quarterly 6:3 (2012): 46 -70

Mandiant, APT1: Exposing One of China's Cyber Espionage Units, (2013)

Schmitt, Michael N. "International Law in Cyberspace: The Koh Speech and the Tallinn Manual Juxtaposed," Harvard International Law Journal, 54 (2012)

Whitehouse, Cybersecurity Strategy and Implementation Plan (CSLIP) for the Federal Civilian Government. (October, 2015)

Whitehouse, National Security Strategy. (2015)