The NY Times of 25 April 2015 ran “US Cyberattacks Target
ISIS in a New Line of Combat” featuring the CDR of Cyber Command and DIRNSA
(pictured at right) (see: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/25/us/politics/us-directs-cyberweapons-at-isis-for-first-time.html?_r=0
which is also the photo source)
The article focuses on the cyber mission of disrupting enemy
communications and sowing distrust among potential recruits because their
communications with the terrorist group are no longer secure.
The use of cyber can be thought of as an extension of
President Obama’s philosophy of avoiding the use of troops on the ground and of
favoring special operations of all flavors.
The article goes on to describe how these attacks are
supposed to be targeting the money trail and by the use of cyber Military
Deception (MILDEC). The article then goes on to discuss the balance between the
action and the revelation of sources and capabilities.
Conspicuously absent, at least in my opinion, were
CyberPSYOP specifics. No one can deny that the Cyberattacks will have a
psychological impact and are therefore PSYActs – but what about cyber oriented
campaigns designed to hamper recruitment? When the article talks about ‘jumbling’
does it mean altering websites or Social Media to change the message from
recruiting to warning the reader to stay away?
What about specific cyber ‘leaflets’, e-mails, SMS, Tweets
and other messages aimed at altering the behavior of the target?
Clearly now that the cyber cat is out of the bag, these
kinds of actions would seem more than appropriate – if not necessary ones.
If any of y’all out there see any articles describing
CyberPSYOP/MISO – please send the links my way!
1 comment:
This morning I saw an article on the need for a Cyber JSOC (see: http://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2016/04/cyber-jsoc-network-attacks/127778/). Since it was complementary to yesterday's posting, I'm providing the link for your reading pleasure.
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