STRATEGIC APPROACH Our strategic approach is based on mutually reinforcing lines of effort to build a more lethal force; compete and deter in cyberspace; expand alliances and partnerships; reform the Department; and cultivate talent. › BUILD A MORE LETHAL JOINT FORCE Accelerate cyber capability development: The Department will accelerate the development of cyber capabilities for both warfighting and countering malicious cyber actors. Our focus will be on fielding capabilities that are scalable, adaptable, and diverse to provide maximum flexibility to Joint Force commanders. The Joint Force will be capable of employing cyberspace operations throughout the spectrum of conflict, from day-to-day operations to wartime, in order to advance U.S. interests. Innovate to foster agility: The Department must innovate to keep pace with rapidly evolving threats and technologies in cyberspace. We will accept and manage operational and programmatic risk in a deliberate manner that moves from a “zero defect” culture to one that fosters agility and innovation because success in this domain requires the Department to innovate faster than our strategic competitors. Leverage automation and data analysis to improve effectiveness: The Department will use cyber enterprise solutions to operate at machine speed and large-scale data analytics to identify malicious cyber activity across different networks and systems. The Department will leverage these advances to improve our own defensive posture and to ensure that our cyber capabilities will continue to be effective against competitors armed with cutting edge technology. Employ commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) cyber capabilities: The Department excels at creating cyber capabilities tailored for specific operational problems. In addition to these capabilities, we will make greater use of COTS capabilities that can be optimized for DoD use. › COMPETE AND DETER IN CYBERSPACE Deter malicious cyber activities: The United States seeks to use all instruments of national power to deter adversaries from conducting malicious cyberspace activity that would threaten U.S. national interests, our allies, or our partners. The Department will prioritize securing sensitive DoD information and deterring malicious cyber activities that constitute a use of force against the United States, our allies, or our partners. Should deterrence fail, the Joint Force stands ready to employ the full range of military capabilities in response. Persistently contest malicious cyber activity in day-to-day competition: The Department will counter cyber campaigns threatening U.S. military advantage by defending forward to intercept and halt cyber threats and by strengthening the cybersecurity of systems and networks that support DoD missions. This includes working with the private sector and our foreign allies and partners to contest cyber activity that could threaten Joint Force missions and to counter the exfiltration of sensitive DoD information. 4 DOD CYBER STRATEGY