Computer network operations (CNO) is a broad term that has both military and civilian application. Conventional wisdom is that information is power, and more and more of the information necessary to make decisions is digitized and conveyed over an ever-expanding network of computers and other electronic devices. Computer network operations are deliberate actions taken to leverage and optimize these networks to improve human endeavor and enterprise or, in warfare, to gain information superiority and deny the enemy this enabling capability.
In the military domain
Within the United States military domain, CNO is considered one of five core capabilities under Information Operations (IO)
Information Warfare
Information warfare (IW) is the battlespace use and management of information and communication technology (ICT) in pursuit of a competitive advantage over an opponent. It is different from ''cyberwarfare'' that attacks computers, software, and ...
. The other capabilities are
Psychological Operations
Psychological warfare (PSYWAR), or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations (PsyOp), has been known by many other names or terms, including Military Information Support Operations (MISO), Psy Ops, political warfare, "Hearts and Min ...
(PSYOP),
Military Deception
Military deception (MILDEC) is an attempt by a military unit to gain an advantage during warfare by misleading adversary decision makers into taking action or inaction that creates favorable conditions for the deceiving force. This is usually ...
(MILDEC),
Operations Security
Operations security (OPSEC) is a process that identifies critical information to determine whether friendly actions can be observed by enemy intelligence, determines if information obtained by adversaries could be interpreted to be useful to th ...
(OPSEC) and
Electronic Warfare (EW). Other national military organizations may use different designations.
Computer Network Operations, in concert with electronic warfare (EW), is used primarily to disrupt, disable, degrade or deceive an enemy's command and control, thereby crippling the enemy's ability to make effective and timely decisions, while simultaneously protecting and preserving friendly command and control. Full Spectrum Cyberspace Operations (CNO: CNA,CND & CNE) was conceived and written by Mr. Donald A. Tyler the RCERT Branch Chief under the Land Information Warfare Activity (LIWA) Command ADCON to HQ INSCOM responsible for the Global Regional Computer Emergency Response Team (RCERT) in 1999 through 2000 as the fifth pillar of IO and indoctrinated into the Joint Publications that change the history of Warfare across the Glob. Systems and Networks are a primary war fighting tactical advantage across ALL OS.
Types of military CNO
According to ''Joint Pub 3-13'', CNO consists of computer network attack (CNA), computer network defense (CND) and computer network exploitation (CNE).
United States Joint Publication 3-13: Information Operations
/ref>
* ''Computer network attack'' (CNA): Includes actions taken via computer networks to disrupt, deny, degrade, or destroy the information within computers and computer networks and/or the computers/networks themselves.
* ''Computer network defense'' (CND): Includes actions taken via computer networks to protect, monitor, analyze, detect and respond to network attacks, intrusions, disruptions or other unauthorized actions that would compromise or cripple defense information systems and networks. ''Joint Pub 6.0'' further outlines Computer Network Defense as an aspect of NetOps:
* ' (CNE): Includes enabling actions and intelligence collection via computer networks that exploit data gathered from target or enemy information systems or networks.
See also
* Cyberwarfare in the United States
* Chinese information operations and information warfare
* Cyberwarfare by Russia
References
{{reflist
External links
Cyber, War and Law
United States Army Combined Arms Center
Information operations and warfare
United States Department of Defense doctrine