I've confirmed @dnvolz's story that President Trump has scrapped rules that required high-level and interagency approval for military cyber operations.
Means less input from State, Commerce, IC, etc. before cyberattacks.
subscriber.politicopro.com/cybersecurity/…
Means less input from State, Commerce, IC, etc. before cyberattacks.
subscriber.politicopro.com/cybersecurity/…
@dnvolz Under the Obama-era rules, DoD and Cyber Command bristled at having to go through rounds of debate about diplomatic and economic consequences of digital strikes.
As in other areas, Trump has now delegated authority down the chain of command, making cyber more like kinetic ops.
As in other areas, Trump has now delegated authority down the chain of command, making cyber more like kinetic ops.
@dnvolz Former Obama cyber officials acknowledged that the old process was unwieldy but said whatever replaces it will still have to factor in legal constraints and economic and diplomatic realities.
@dnvolz Former FBI official: “That policy piece of paper became a scapegoat for bigger issues. Whether people liked it or not, the PPD-20 process highlighted some very real legal issues regarding the extent of Cyber [Command’s] authority to take certain actions in cyberspace.”
The bottom line: From now on, officials at U.S. Cyber Command will be able to plan and launch digital strikes with the same autonomy and discretion that is already given to officials at Central Command, Pacific Command, etc.
Pros can learn more about Trump's decision — and how PPD-20 screwed up a joint U.S.–British cyber operation last year — in my story: subscriber.politicopro.com/cybersecurity/…
