Navy publishes first cyber strategy, prioritizing defense of ‘information ecosystem’

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — The Navy today published its inaugural cyber strategy, contending that future conflict will require the service to embrace “cyber and information warfare as core competencies.”

“This inaugural strategy builds on years of lessons learned from cyber domain operations across the globe,” said Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro in a written statement. “We are focused on aggressively enhancing our cyber enterprise, while fostering cooperation and collaboration with our allies and partners.”

Authored by Chris Cleary, the service’s principal cyber advisor (PCA), and Jane Rathbun, the chief information officer (CIO), the strategy [PDF] includes seven lines of effort: improve and support the cyber workforce; defend enterprise IT, data, and networks; secure defense critical infrastructure and weapon systems; conduct and facilitate cyber operations; partner to secure the defense industrial base; and foster cooperation and collaboration.

“Our strategy reaffirms our commitment to warfighting excellence within cyberspace,” said Cleary. “We are prioritizing the defense of our cyber enterprise and data while conducting and facilitating cyber operations across the globe.”

Rathbun added, “Achieving a competitive advantage in the cyber domain is critical to strengthening our maritime dominance. The cyber strategy sets the DON on a course to more effectively defend our information ecosystem and emphasizes the importance of our cyber workforce.”

The document’s release comes several months later than had been expected. Senior Navy officials previously stated the cyber strategy’s publication was postponed while waiting for the Office of the Secretary of Defense to publish its own strategic documents and ensure the Navy strategy was aligned with the National Defense Strategy.

The impetus for the cyber strategy was in part a comprehensive cybersecurity review initiated by then Navy Secretary Richard Spencer in 2019, which deemed the service’s then-lacking cyber posture an “existential threat.”

“In response, DON leadership empowered the DON CIO office, leading to the publication and implementation of the DON Information Superiority Vision,” according to a foreword in the new document written by Del Toro. “Relatedly, the DON PCA office was created in 2020 and quickly established a strong partnership with DON CIO, leading to the joint development of this strategy.”