What it Takes to Develop a Military Cyber-​Force

States often struggle to develop a military cyber-force, as the time and resources required for an effective capability are much greater than often appreciated, argues Max Smeets in this CSS Policy Perspectives.

Cyber Army

Key Points

  • Offensive cyber capability development encompasses five key elements: people, exploits, tools, infrastructure, and organization.
  • The most important element of developing an offensive cyber capability concerns the recruitment, training, and retention of personnel.
  • There are both benefits and risks to organizational integration between military and intelligence.
  • There is a tension between establishing standard operating procedures to carry out complex routine operations and maintaining individual flexibility.

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