IDF Scraps Plans for a Unified Cyber Command
Abandoning plans for a unified Cyber Corps, the army will keep its defensive and "collection" capabilities separate under a new reorganization of its electronic warfare program, a senior IDF official says
IsraelDefense
| 15/05/2017
Photo: IDF
The Israel Defense Forces is officially abandoning plans for a unified Cyber Command meant to bring the military’s online activities under one roof, keeping its cyber-defense arm separate from its intelligence collection division, in a reorganization the army says reflects improved electronic warfare capabilities, a senior official said Sunday
At the beginning of his tenure as IDF Chief of Staff in 2015, Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot announced he would bring together the military’s cyber units under one body, a command unit on par with the Ground Forces, Navy or Air Forces.
However, after two years of discussion and work, the military has opted to scrap that proposal and instead keep the existing dynamic of having the military’s defensive capabilities remain in the army’s Computer Service Directorate, also known as the C4I Directorate, and keeping the elite Unit 8200 inside Military Intelligence, the senior officer told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The military will undergo a number of changes to boost the capabilities of the C4I Directorate, turning its cyber defense unit into an "operational command," with the authority to act and respond. The IDF expects the improved cyber defense unit to be up and running by September, the senior officer said.
While responsible for the protection of military systems, as well as some national infrastructure during emergencies, the C4I Directorate will also be charged with counterattacks and "active defense," measures designed to deter attacks before they happen, the officer said.
As part of the IDF's multi-year Gideon Plan, which is meant to streamline the military and cut costs, the area of electronic warfare is meant to actually receive a boost in funding across the board – for manpower, equipment and training. However, the C4I’s cyber defense unit will be smaller than initially planned, the officer said, owing to budget constraints.
Under the original plan, Brig. Gen. Yaron Rosen was meant to head the Cyber Command, but that position has now been cut, leaving the C4I Directorate with three brigadier generals instead of four, the officer said.
The enhanced cyber defense unit in C4I will be coordinated by a so-called "Firewall Control" unit, the officer said. The “Firewall Control” will oversee the military’s cyber defense efforts, as well as the cooperation with Military Intelligence.
The general strategy for the cyber defense unit will be to assign commanders a particular area of responsibility and allow them to determine the best way to protect it. These team leaders have already been chosen, he said.
The military’s cyber defense program is primarily responsible for protecting the army’s own systems from attack. Civilian networks are under the purview of the National Cyber Authority and the Israel Security Agency's (ISA's) cyber unit. However, the specifics of which organization will be responsible for what in the case of emergency is currently being resolved in a proposed national law.
In August 2016, the Knesset proposed reforming the National Cyber Authority (NCA), which was designed to bring together country’s various cyber defense groups under one umbrella. Last month, top members of Israel’s security establishment sent an angry letter to the prime minister warning against the establishment of the NCA, as it stood.
[Source: The Times of Israel]
Abandoning plans for a unified Cyber Corps, the army will keep its defensive and "collection" capabilities separate under a new reorganization of its electronic warfare program, a senior IDF official says
The Israel Defense Forces is officially abandoning plans for a unified Cyber Command meant to bring the military’s online activities under one roof, keeping its cyber-defense arm separate from its intelligence collection division, in a reorganization the army says reflects improved electronic warfare capabilities, a senior official said Sunday
At the beginning of his tenure as IDF Chief of Staff in 2015, Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot announced he would bring together the military’s cyber units under one body, a command unit on par with the Ground Forces, Navy or Air Forces.
However, after two years of discussion and work, the military has opted to scrap that proposal and instead keep the existing dynamic of having the military’s defensive capabilities remain in the army’s Computer Service Directorate, also known as the C4I Directorate, and keeping the elite Unit 8200 inside Military Intelligence, the senior officer told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The military will undergo a number of changes to boost the capabilities of the C4I Directorate, turning its cyber defense unit into an "operational command," with the authority to act and respond. The IDF expects the improved cyber defense unit to be up and running by September, the senior officer said.
While responsible for the protection of military systems, as well as some national infrastructure during emergencies, the C4I Directorate will also be charged with counterattacks and "active defense," measures designed to deter attacks before they happen, the officer said.
As part of the IDF's multi-year Gideon Plan, which is meant to streamline the military and cut costs, the area of electronic warfare is meant to actually receive a boost in funding across the board – for manpower, equipment and training. However, the C4I’s cyber defense unit will be smaller than initially planned, the officer said, owing to budget constraints.
Under the original plan, Brig. Gen. Yaron Rosen was meant to head the Cyber Command, but that position has now been cut, leaving the C4I Directorate with three brigadier generals instead of four, the officer said.
The enhanced cyber defense unit in C4I will be coordinated by a so-called "Firewall Control" unit, the officer said. The “Firewall Control” will oversee the military’s cyber defense efforts, as well as the cooperation with Military Intelligence.
The general strategy for the cyber defense unit will be to assign commanders a particular area of responsibility and allow them to determine the best way to protect it. These team leaders have already been chosen, he said.
The military’s cyber defense program is primarily responsible for protecting the army’s own systems from attack. Civilian networks are under the purview of the National Cyber Authority and the Israel Security Agency's (ISA's) cyber unit. However, the specifics of which organization will be responsible for what in the case of emergency is currently being resolved in a proposed national law.
In August 2016, the Knesset proposed reforming the National Cyber Authority (NCA), which was designed to bring together country’s various cyber defense groups under one umbrella. Last month, top members of Israel’s security establishment sent an angry letter to the prime minister warning against the establishment of the NCA, as it stood.
[Source: The Times of Israel]
