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Cyber Command adapts to realities of constant digital conflict

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What: The creation of U.S. Cyber Command
When: CYBERCOM was created as a sub-unified command in 2009, but its origins can be traced back to the 1980s.
Why it matters: CYBERCOM is in charge of protecting DoD’s information systems and supporting the nation’s efforts to defend critical infrastructure from major cyber threats — its creation allowed the Defense Department to unify cyber operations and strengthen its cyber capabilities.
To celebrate our 25th anniversary in 2025, we’re spotlighting 25 pivotal moments that reshaped the way the government operates. Visit our anniversary page each week as we look back on these defining moments.

The story of U.S. Cyber Command doesn’t start in 2009 when it was formally established as a sub–unified command in 2009. The story really starts in the late 1980s when the first documented cases of cyber-espionage occurred during the early days of the internet.

In 1986, a systems administrator at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory named Clifford Stoll uncovered a Soviet-backed hacking campaign targeting U.S military and research networks — a case he famously documented in The Cuckoo’s Egg. Two years later, the Morris Worm swept through the internet, but it wasn’t until the late 1990s that the Defense Department began to reckon with the strategic implications of the emerging threat environment.

In 1997, the Joint Chiefs of Staff ran an exercise called Eligible Receiver 97, in which NSA red team hackers demonstrated they could easily disrupt military systems and civilian infrastructure. Months later, the DoD created the Joint Task Force–Computer Network Defense (JTF-CND), laying the groundwork for what would eventually result in the establishment of Cyber Command a decade later.

“We’ve been grappling with the insecurity of cyberspace since we’ve been leveraging cyberspace,  but we got to a point in the late 2000s where we recognized that the operational reality was sort of constant, or what we call persistent engagement now,” Richard Harknett, director of the center for cyber strategy and policy at the University of Cincinnati, told Federal News Network. “There was also this sort of perceptual reality that emerged, which was, ‘Oh, you could do big things in cyber.’ What happens if we mess around with electric grids and big critical infrastructure? So there was this operational reality, which was more about day-to-day exploitation. And then there was this perception of the reality that something really bad could happen and we need to get ourselves organized for this.”

The early days of Cyber Command were shaped by the perception that a massive, devastating digital attack could occur. 

The natural inclination early on was to think about cyberspace and cyber deterrence just like the U.S. thought about the nuclear strategic environment and nuclear deterrence. 

“We were thinking about it in a war context and so there was this default to how do we deal with war? We try to deter it,” Harknett said.

This perception was reinforced by the organizational structure of Cyber Command, which was placed under U.S. Strategic Command, the country’s nuclear command. So much of the early thinking about cyber operations revolved around how to deter war, rather than how to operate effectively in a constantly contested digital environment. But the threat wasn’t a “Cyber Pearl Harbor” as much as a persistent campaign of probing and exploiting networks across the federal government, defense industrial base, and critical infrastructure.

“We had a gap early on between the strategic view of cyber and the operational reality that Cyber Command and its capabilities were having to deal with,” Harknett said. “We have to actually, in my view, stop talking about cyber offense, cyber defense, and talk about cyber operations and cyber campaigns. They have both effects. They can have defensive effects, they can have offensive effects.”

The shift came with the “defend forward” and “persistent engagement” concepts, which were publicly announced in 2018 as part of a broader shift in U.S. cyber strategy. That meant moving Cyber Command from a reactive force right to a persistent force. 

“To be persistent is to be, as [Gen. Paul Nakasone] noted, not reactive. It is about being proactive, but being proactive is not ipso facto offense. You don’t have to disrupt and destroy in order to set and reset this cyber architecture in a way that favors you and disfavors your opponents. That’s the whole notion of cyber campaigning. This is the cyber part of the fight, that you’re in continuous motion, and you’re going to move laterally, you’re going to move back and forward. It’s a better way of thinking about this space than this legacy, ‘Let’s go on the offense,’” Harknett said.

Recognizing that cyberspace had become vital to national security, Cyber Command was elevated to a unified combatant command in 2018. Between 2018 and 2020 the command received expanded presidential authorities to allow it to operate more proactively and persistently in cyberspace. 

But having the legal authority to act and fully using those authorities are not the same, Harknett said. The Biden administration embraced the “defend forward” and “persistent engagement” notions, sometimes referring to them as “disruption campaigns.” Still, an open question remains around how rigorously these strategies have been implemented, how many bureaucratic or legal hurdles remain in place, and whether the operational tempo matches the intent behind the strategy.

One sign of progress is the increasing regularization of “hunt forward” operations, where Cyber Command deploys teams to allied nations to detect, expose and disrupt adversary malware on partner networks. 

“We’re early in this and only a few years operating under authorities that are less reactive and more proactive. I think it’s a matter of understanding that we’re evolving to the space, in part my own view is that we’re catching up to some of our cyber adversaries who have been operating in this manner a lot longer than we have. I think the trend line is that operational reality and that strict perception of the strategy — that gap is closing. We’re starting to understand why our adversaries are below the threshold of armed conflict is because they can strategically gain in that space,” Harknett said.

Cyber Command 2.0

With the strategy in place, the command now needs to align its organizational structure, capabilities and partnerships to that “constant fight.”

“Cyber, you just can’t quit. You don’t have any time. You don’t have any day that you can take off. And so we have legacy organizational artifacts that need to evolve. That’s partly the relationships with the services. It’s partly in terms of how you develop capabilities, and how you fund,” Harknett said.

That’s what is expected to come from an extensive examination dubbed “Cyber Command 2.0” — the review is meant to address the command’s longstanding readiness and personnel challenges.

For now, the initiative’s four main efforts include a new force generation model for how each service provides cyber forces to CYBERCOM, an advanced training and education center to ensure forces have the training needed when arriving to their units, a talent management model, and a cyber innovation warfare center.

Separate Cyber Force?

Meanwhile, the debate over establishing a separate Cyber Force continues  — the fiscal 2025 defense bill requires the Defense Department conduct an “evaluation of alternative organizational models for the cyber forces of the Armed Forces.” The bill, however, does not include a due date for the study.

Pentagon leaders have largely rejected the idea of a separate cyber branch, but proponents of the idea argue that fixing the nation’s cyber force generation system “demands nothing less than the establishment of an independent cyber service.”

“The inefficient division of labor between the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps prevents the generation of a cyber force ready to carry out its mission. Recruitment suffers because cyber operations are not a top priority for any of the services, and incentives for new recruits vary wildly. The services do not coordinate to ensure that trainees acquire a consistent set of skills or that their skills correspond to the roles they will ultimately fulfill at CYBERCOM,” the Foundation for Defense of Democracies report report reads. 

“Resolving these issues requires the creation of a new independent armed service — a U.S. Cyber Force — alongside the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force,” Mark Montgomery, a retired Navy rear admiral, and Erica Lonergan, an assistant professor at Columbia University, said in the report.

The post Cyber Command adapts to realities of constant digital conflict first appeared on Federal News Network.

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Judge Subramanian DENIES Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Bail for the Fifth Time – Disgraced Rapper Will Remain in Prison Pending His October 3rd Sentencing

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14 hours ago

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August 5, 2025

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Judge Subramanian: no “exceptional reasons” to release Diddy before sentencing.

Recent Judge Subramanian’s decisions may indicate hard times for Diddy come sentencing.

We have been following the pre-sentencing motions in the high-profile criminal trial of rap mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.

The defense: ‘Sean Diddy’s Combs’ Conviction Is Racist and Sexist’, Say Disgraced Rapper’s Lawyers on Yet Another Legal Filing Trying to Release Him on Bail Pending Sentencing

The Prosecution: Prosecutors Oppose Sean Diddy Combs’ 50M Bail Package, Ask for ‘Substantially Higher’ Sentence Than Before

Look who appeared: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Trial: Ex-girlfirend Who Disappeared and Did Not Testify Against Rapper as ‘Victim 3’ Now Writes Letter to Judge to Grant Him Pre-sentencing Bail

Diddy has had his request for bail denied for the 5th time.

Today, we learn that federal judge Subramanian has yet again declined to grant Sean “Diddy” Combs bail, saying he found no ‘exceptional reasons’ to release him pending his October sentencing.

ABC News reported:

“Combs was convicted of transportation to engage in prostitution, which the judge said mandates incarceration. His sentencing is set for Oct. 3.

Judge Arun Subramanian said Combs remains a risk of flight and a danger to the community, pointing to the violence exhibited on 2016 hotel surveillance footage that shows him kicking and dragging Cassie Ventura.”

Combs remains a risk of flight and a danger to the community: Judge.

The judge ruled that the ‘swinger lifestyle’ argument does not fly in a case that includes ‘evidence of violence, coercion or subjugation in connection with the prostitution’. And the record, he wrote, contains evidence of all three.

Subramanian: “’While Combs may contend at sentencing that this evidence should be discounted and that what happened was nothing more than a case of willing ‘swingers’ utilizing the voluntary services of escorts for their mutual pleasure, the Government takes the opposite view: that Cassie Ventura and Jane were beaten, coerced, threatened, lied to, and victimized by Combs as part of their participation in these’.”

Read more:

As He Awaits Sentencing in Prison, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Joins ‘Self-Improvement’ Program To Curb Drug Use and Violence Against Women

The post Judge Subramanian DENIES Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Bail for the Fifth Time – Disgraced Rapper Will Remain in Prison Pending His October 3rd Sentencing appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Nearly 78,000 New Applicants Flood ICE Recruitment to Help Crack Down on Illegal Immigration (VIDEO)

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14 hours ago

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August 5, 2025

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In a scorching new development under the Trump-backed ICE reign, Acting Director Todd Lyons confidently announced that “we have almost 78,000 applicants since we opened up,” referring to the agency’s massive recruitment surge launched just one week prior.

This seismic surge in interest aligns with ICE’s newly launched “Defend the Homeland” recruitment blitz, unveiled by the Department of Homeland Security on July 29, 2025.

ICE is budgeting for 10,000 new agents, dangling $50,000 signing bonuses, student‑loan forgiveness, enhanced overtime pay, and upgraded retirement plans to attract recruits.

According to the press release:

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today launched a new U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) campaign to recruit brave and heroic Americans to join ICE as federal law enforcement agents and remove the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from America’s streets.

“Your country is calling you to serve at ICE. In the wake of the Biden administration’s failed immigration policies, your country needs dedicated men and women of ICE to get the worst of the worst criminals out of our country,” said Secretary Kristi Noem. “This is a defining moment in our nation’s history. Your skills, your experience, and your courage have never been more essential. Together, we must defend the homeland.”

To support this effort, ICE is offering a robust package of federal law enforcement incentives, including: 

  • A maximum $50,000 signing bonus
  • Student loan repayment and forgiveness options
  • 25% Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) for HSI Special Agents
  • Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime (AUI) for Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) Deportation Officers
  • Enhanced retirement benefits

Backed by significant new funding through the recently signed One Big Beautiful Bill, ICE is rolling out patriotic recruitment posters and benefits to attract the next generation of law enforcement professionals to find, arrest, and remove criminal illegal aliens.

During the Fox interview, Todd Lyons delivered the incredible news.

“We have almost 78,000 applicants since we opened up. We’re going through and finding those people who really want to serve the country and truly be in law enforcement. I think it’s a great way to recruit now.

We’re taking back our re-hired annuitants — people who left the job early because they weren’t allowed to do the law enforcement mission.

But we have so many people who are now interested in working with ICE because, under Secretary Nome’s leadership, they’re seeing that we have a viable law enforcement partner in the community. You’re actually out making a difference. We’re really ecstatic about seeing the increase in new recruits who are applying.”

WATCH:

The post Nearly 78,000 New Applicants Flood ICE Recruitment to Help Crack Down on Illegal Immigration (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Calls on Trump to Commute George Santos’ Excessive 7-Year-Sentence: ‘Some Members of Congress Who’ve Done Far Worse Still Walk Free’

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14 hours ago

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August 5, 2025

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Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R‑GA) has formally thrown down the gauntlet.

On Monday, she submitted a letter to the Office of the Pardon Attorney pleading for President Trump to commute the 87-month federal sentence of ex‑Congressman George Santos (NY‑03)—a punishment she calls “a grave injustice” and emblematic of a justice system fractured by politically selective persecution.

Greene wrote on X:

“BREAKING: I just sent a letter to the Office of the Pardon Attorney urging President Trump to commute the sentence of former Congressman @MrSantosNY.

A 7‑year prison sentence for campaign‑related charges is excessive, especially when Members of Congress who’ve done far worse still walk free.

George Santos has taken responsibility. He’s shown remorse. It’s time to correct this injustice. We must demand equal justice under the law!”

Greene signed her letter Aug. 4 to Pardon Attorney Edward Martin Jr. at the Justice Department, demanding Trump use his executive power to undo what she calls a “grave injustice.”

Drawing on inside knowledge, she described Santos as “without a prior criminal record,” “sincerely remorseful,” and portrayed his case as campaign-related maleficence, nothing warranting “one of the most extreme sentences in recent history.”

Green also reminded officials of the roster of current or former lawmakers who actually broke laws or ethics rules yet never lost a day.

The letter reads:

“I am writing to request that your office urge the President to commute the sentence of former Congressman George Santos. In April 2025, Mr. Santos was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. I wholeheartedly believe in justice and the rule of the law, and I understand the gravity of such actions. However, I believe a seven-year sentence for such campaign-related matters for an individual with no prior criminal record extends far beyond what is warranted.

As a Member of Congress, I worked with Mr. Santos on many issues and can attest to his willingness and dedication to serve the people of New York who elected him to office. He committed himself to serving his constituents and did whatever it took to represent their interests in Washington, D.C. He is sincerely remorseful and has accepted full responsibility for his actions. Furthermore, my office has spoken with a pastor of his who discussed the regret and remorse of Mr. Santos, agreeing that the sentence imposed is a grave injustice.

While his crimes warrant punishment, many of my colleagues who I serve with have committed far worse offenses than Mr. Santos yet have faced zero criminal charges. I strongly believe in accountability for one’s actions, but I believe the sentencing of Mr. Santos is an abusive overreach by the judicial system.

Commuting his sentence would acknowledge the severity of his actions and simultaneously provide a path forward in allowing him to make amends for his crimes and strive to better serve the people in his community.

I respectfully request you to urge the President to commute the sentence of Mr. George Santos.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

According to the Advocate, Trump can pardon Santos, but has not been asked about it.

The Advocate reported:

“He lied like hell, and I didn’t know him,” Trump told Newsmax host Rob Finnerty during an interview at the White House. “But he was 100 percent for Trump. I might’ve met him. Maybe, maybe not, but he was a congressman and his vote was solid.”

[…]

In the Newsmax interview, Trump seemed to question the severity of Santos’s sentence. “It sounds like a lot,” he said. “Is it seven years he just went away? It’s a long time.”

Trump went on to say that while he hadn’t been approached about pardoning Santos, the door remained open. “Nobody’s talked to me about it,” he said. “They really haven’t talked to me about [Santos]. They have talked to me about Sean [Combs], but they haven’t talked to me about [George]. But again, with him, I have the right to do it. Nobody’s asked me, but it’s interesting.”

In April, U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert sentenced Santos to 87 months in federal prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft after a guilty plea in August 2024.

Those charges stemmed from fabricating donor names, laundering campaign funds, misusing donor money, and claiming unemployment while campaigning.

Santos took to social media earlier this year to criticize the ruling and pleaded with President Trump for leniency.

He wrote:

This is the hardest statement I have ever written. I write this humbled, chastened, and fully accountable for choices that shattered the faith so many placed in me.

I betrayed the confidence entrusted to me by many. For that, I offer my deepest apology.

When I pled guilty, I did so without reservation. I said then, and I repeat now, that my conduct betrayed my supporters and diminished the institution I was privileged to serve. Those words have weighed on me every day since.

I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead. I asked the Court for a sentence that balances accountability with the chance to prove through sustained, measurable action that I can still contribute positively to the community I wronged.

I believe that 7 years is an over the top politically influenced sentence and I implore that President Trump gives me a chance to prove I’m more than the mistakes I’ve made.

Before the sentencing, Santos had slammed federal prosecutors for going easy on violent criminals while trying to make an example out of him.

“I will however remind everyone that they want me to go to prison for 87 months while they let sex traffickers walk freely, they give drug lords slaps on the wrist and most importantly refuse to prosecute the cabal of pedophiles running around in every power structure in the world including the US Government,” he wrote on X.

The post Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Calls on Trump to Commute George Santos’ Excessive 7-Year-Sentence: ‘Some Members of Congress Who’ve Done Far Worse Still Walk Free’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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