{"id":22474,"date":"2021-01-14T21:32:45","date_gmt":"2021-01-14T21:32:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2021\/01\/14\/pentagons-weapon-tester-pushes-for-better-assessments-of-offensive-cyber-tools\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:11:28","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:11:28","slug":"pentagons-weapon-tester-pushes-for-better-assessments-of-offensive-cyber-tools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/newsletters\/daily-brief\/2021\/01\/14\/pentagons-weapon-tester-pushes-for-better-assessments-of-offensive-cyber-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"Pentagon\u2019s weapon tester pushes for better assessments of offensive cyber tools"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The Department of Defense weapon tester wants to improve the way the Pentagon assesses tools and capabilities for offensive cyber operations that disrupt or destroy enemy data systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Such operations are growing more important, and testing that involves simulating realistic operations is not routine or rigorous enough to give commanders confidence the capabilities will work as designed, according to the annual report on weapons systems<\/a> from the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When DoD builds a new weapon, it conducts tests to ensure it works as intended, in part so commanders know how successful it might be<\/a>. For example, a commander must take the approximate blast radius of a missile into account when planning an operation to minimize unintended damage around the target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In cyberspace, testing offensive weapons presents difficulties because artificial network ranges are necessary to avoid damaging real-world systems. These offensive capabilities are often designed to work against hardware or software flaws that adversaries could patch at any moment, meaning for some targets and exploits, time is always fleeting. This differs from the physical world, in which ordinance, for example, can be dropped on an open test range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWeapons like JDAMs [Joint Direct Attack Munitions] are an important armament for air operations. How long are those JDAMs good for? Perhaps five, 10 or 15 years, sometimes longer given the adversary,\u201d Gen. Paul Nakasone, commander of Cyber Command, told Joint Force Quarterly in a 2019 interview<\/a>. \u201cWhen we buy a capability or tool for cyberspace … we rarely get a prolonged use we can measure in years. Our capabilities rarely last six months, let alone six years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To help improve testing, DOT&E will continue its assessments with service representatives and Cyber Command\u2019s cyber mission force to increase confidence in offensive cyber capabilities and provide information that could enhance future exercises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report pointed out these challenges that the DoD needs to overcome include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n