Significant Forces Are Arrayed Against Cyber Threats. How Are They Aligned and Coordinated?

For its military defense, the United States has an Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force carrying out a clearly defined constitutional responsibility. For one of this era’s most clear and present dangers – cyberattacks – the forces are vast but diffused.

Since cyber threats began escalating in the 20th century, and particularly in the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks, cybersecurity gained whole-of-government priority status. That extends to the intelligence community as well as U.S. Cyber Command; the FBI and law enforcement on federal, state and local levels; and because technological resources are heavily concentrated in the private sector, numerous associations, collaborations and centers of expertise contributing to what amounts to a vast public-private partnership for cyber defense.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Act of 2018 codified the placement of CISA, previously the Department of Homeland Security’s National Protection and Programs Directorate, at the top of the pyramid. It describes itself as “the national coordinator for critical infrastructure security and resilience [that] works with partners...