DOD Focused on Cyber Best Practices

US Cyber Command is working to “normalize” cyber operations across the Defense Department by focusing on the development of cyber cadres and instituting best practices—regardless of which service they come from, according to Robert Butler, cyber policy lead in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. “We have to develop [tactics, techniques, and procedures], standards, and evaluations that allow [us] to train to missions, proficiencies, and certifications in cyber,” he said Wednesday during a meeting with reporters in Washington, D.C. Butler noted that Army Gen. Keith Alexander, CYBERCOM commander, is very engaged in this process and working to leverage the services’ cyber schoolhouses to develop curricula and standards. “To me, there is a lot of positive progress,” said Butler. When asked if the services are responsible for their own networks, or if the respective cyber arms go beyond service boundaries, Butler said DOD is working to leverage all of the services’ network operations centers and infrastructure “to allow us to close up seams.”