Authors Peter Dombrowski and Chris C. Demchak take the position that neither side of the ongoing cybersecurity debate – that cyber threats are overblown phenomena vs. potentially catastrophic acts driven by profit & access to personal information and intellectual property – “has it right.” Rather, they argue, the majority of participants in ongoing debates “demonstrate insufficient understanding” about associated complexities across levels of integration, including public and private systems and economic and defense sectors. The article addresses this issue by outlining challenges and opportunities within cyberspace for U.S. National Security, with a stated focus on the U.S. Navy. First, Dombrowski and Demchak review the evolution of cyberspace and conflict and predict future implications at this intersection. Then, they review U.S. government’s response to cyber attacks and the changing roles and responsibilities of the U.S. Navy in “national-level strategies.” Ultimately, the article intends to help naval scholars, analysts, and operators understand “the new world of cybered conflict in the maritime environment,” by unearthing and highlighting both operational challenges and opportunities.
