[Paper Review] Cyberwar Strategy and Tactics: An Analysis of Cyber Goals, Strategies, Tactics, and Techniques

Laura Tinnel, O. Sami Saydjari+1 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jun 1, 2024

Cybersecurity and Cyber Warfare Studies10 citations

TL;DR

The paper analyzes cyberwar goals, strategies, and tactics and proposes a Cyberwar Playbook to encode knowledge for countering cyber attacks and guiding responses.

ABSTRACT

Cyberwar strategy and tactics today are primitive and ad-hoc, resulting in an ineffective and reactive cyber fighting force. A Cyberwar Playbook is an encoding of knowledge on how to effectively handle a variety of cyberwar situations. It takes a troubleshooting approach and defines the cyber tactics, techniques and procedures one may employ to counter or avert cyber-based attacks. It provides focus and clarity in time of chaos allowing a clear path of response to be chosen.

Motivation & Objective

• Motivate the study by noting that cyberwar strategy and tactics today are primitive and ad-hoc.
• Propose a Cyberwar Playbook that encodes knowledge on how to handle cyberwar situations.
• Define cyber tactics, techniques, and procedures to counter or avert cyber-based attacks.
• Provide focus and clarity during chaotic cyber incidents to enable a clear response path.

Proposed method

• Develop a troubleshooting-oriented Cyberwar Playbook.
• Encode knowledge on cyber goals, strategies, tactics, and techniques.
• Describe procedures to counter or avert cyber-based attacks.
• Emphasize clarity and guidance for decision-making during chaotic incidents.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 What are the key cyberwar goals that should guide defensive and offensive actions?
• RQ2 How can a structured Playbook encode tactics, techniques, and procedures for cyberwar scenarios?
• RQ3 What response paths and decision rules provide the most effective guidance during chaotic cyber incidents?

Key findings

• Not specified in the abstract provided.
• The abstract indicates the Playbook provides focus and clarity to enable a clear path of response in chaos.
• The paper asserts current cyberwar practice is primitive and ad-hoc, implying a need for systematic guidance.