The Defense Department unveiled a unified strategy for cyberspace July 14 which charts a new way forward for DoD's military, intelligence and business operations. The department has considered cyberspace a military domain--in addition to land, air, sea and space--for over a year, but until now has lacked a formal strategy.

"It would be a failure of the Defense Department's mission, to leave the nation vulnerable to a known threat," said Deputy Secretary of Defense William Lynn, during the announcement at Ft. McNair in Washington, D.C.

"The United States reserves the right, under the laws of armed conflict, to respond to serious cyber attacks with proportional and justified military response at the time and place of our choosing," added Lynn.

Defense officials at the event acknowledged that DoD networks and the nation's critical infrastructure have been probed by malicious actors and said the dangers to security from such cyber threats are escalating and evolving.  

"We have a window of opportunity--of uncertain length--in which to protect our networks against more perilous threats," said Lynn. "The integrity of the networks that undergird critical infrastructure must be considered as we assess our ability to carry out national security missions," he later added.

To hear all of Lynn's remarks, click the player below.

For more:
- download the strategy document (.pdf)
- download a transcript of Lynn's remarks

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