Military Review English Edition May-June 2014 | Page 12

of offensive cyberspace capabilities—to anyone not working directly on developing and executing them—contributes a level of operational security that will support the capability over time. Additionally, maintaining a level of inaccessibility surrounding the offensive cyberspace capabilities affords the option to mask operational intent. Most joint planners do not possess the knowledge or security clearance to know how to build a Tomahawk cruise missile from scratch; nor should joint planners have the access to dissect an offensive cyberspace capability. An example of this paradox is the espionage virus Flame, discovered in 2012 and thought to have circulated on the Internet approximately four years before detection.25 According to Debra Van Opstal, Flame “exploited the Windows operating system to capture audio, screenshots, keyboard activity, and network traffic information from infected computers.”26 Whoever decided to employ Flame likely did not understand the intricacies of its inner workings, but they did understand the desired effect. Flame is just one example of an offensive cyberspace tool that is difficult to detect, but its complex nature offers a unique perspective into the level of detail required to produce a pervasive cyber effect. The challenge for the combatant command and JTF staffs is accepting and operating in this borderless environment, which may involve hitting the “I believe” button when vetting desired, prioritized effects through USCYBERCOM. Improvements to the joint targeting cycle. To better utilize OCO capabilities, joint targeting coordination boards (JTCBs) must change how they assemble their JIPTLs; they must coordinate cyber target nomination with USCYBERCOM. This will enable the JTCBs to enhance OCO utilization, while fully integrating cyberspace capabilities with the traditional land, air, and sea power. Iterative capabilities analysis. Each JTCB should have a cyberspace representative assigned to it. The representative should be coequal with t