All U.S. military organizations rely on a complex networked infrastructure known as the Department of Defense Information Network, commonly referred to as the DoDIN, to carry out their missions. The responsibility to lead a unified force approach to protect this essential resource 24/7 falls to Joint Force Headquarters–Department of Defense Information Network (JFHQ-DODIN). To better understand JFHQ-DODIN’s role in network operations, security, and defense, it is important to first understand exactly what the DoDIN is because it is the heart of building and synchronizing the DoD’s capacity to achieve National Defense Strategy goals.
What is the DoDIN?
The DoDIN is DoD’s globally interconnected network and associated processes for collecting, processing, storing, disseminating, and managing digital information on-demand for warfighters, policy makers, and support personnel. This includes an infrastructure of over 15,000 unclassified and classified networked and cloud environments around the world. The DoD’s cyber terrain also includes all owned and leased communications and computing systems and services, software (including applications), data, security services, and national security systems. As one of the largest networks of networks in the world, it encompasses over 34 billion IP addresses, more than 3.2 million endpoints, 4 million computers, and 145,000 mobility devices.
The DoDIN underpins every DoD mission across DoD’s four core functions of combatant command warfighting, the military Services’ organize/train/equip responsibilities, DoD intelligence activities, and business operations. This includes partner operations for humanitarian aid, running commissaries, operating weapon systems, updating doctrine, synchronizing ground maneuver during conflict, payroll, refueling aircraft, and systems supporting education programs for families stationed around the world.
The Cyber Threat
In all its complexities and importance to mission success, the DoDIN attracts persistent threats from determined adversaries. These adversaries continually seek to compromise DoD’s cyber terrain (the data/networks/ weapons systems) and put military missions, operations, weapons systems, workforce, and information at risk. Adversaries use a combination of approaches to try and access, deny, degrade, disrupt, and manipulate DoD information, networks, and partner relationships.
To combat adversaries, JFHQ-DODIN leverages shared information to deter potential adversaries from gaining access to DoDIN information and architecture and leads crisis response to malicious cyber activities when necessary. Coordination with partners is intended to make attacking the DoDIN unattractive to adversaries due to increased costs in resources and time, outweighing the perceived benefits.
Managing Cyber Risk to Mission
To synchronize network operations, security and defense, the commander of U.S. Cyber Command created DoDIN Areas of Operation (DAOs) and designated a DoD Component commander or director as responsible for each DAO. Commanders and directors who manage the 45 DAOs are responsible and accountable for their assigned cyber terrain and readiness of the forces who engage with adversaries every day on the DoDIN. Given the interconnected nature of the DoDIN, a risk to one is considered a risk to all. JFHQ-DODIN has global responsibility and protects the totality of the DoDIN. It drives unified actions across the 45 DAOs and leverages their combined experience and abilities to collectively protect priority cyber terrain, ensure DoD’s mission assurance, and bolster competitive advantage.
JFHQ-DODIN integrates, synchronizes, and directs threat-informed priority actions to help commanders and directors actively manage risk to the DoDIN and risk to DoD essential functions and missions. Through its command-and-control role, the JFHQ-DODIN issues orders and directives addressing threats and vulnerabilities. Daily interaction with the DAOs and partners involves sharing cyberspace operations information and intelligence, validating the status of directed cyberspace actions, and providing defensive cyberspace priorities designed to protect the entire DoDIN.
The Imperative – The Specialness
The DoDIN is one of DoD’s most critical operational assets. It enables commanders and directors to shape the operational environment, conduct integrated deterrence, and build enduring advantages. The persistent threats to the DoDIN from determined adversaries, however, require urgent action. Operational and threat-informed decisions about network operations, security, and defense enable this vital capability to fully support day-to-day operations and, if necessary, the transition to crisis or conflict at little to no notice. DoD’s proactive and layered security and defense of the DoDIN as well as alignment and readiness of the cyber terrain and forces are all part of this effort.