CH 12: Global Challenges (Cyber, Space, & Transnational Threats)

cyber-espionage, economic, political

China leverages _______ operations to gather information in support of gaining _______ and _______ advantages over Western countries.

mobile devices, Internet of Things (IoT)

weakest technological components:

Information Technology (IT)

the Digital Silk Road will provide China with long-term access to global _______ _______ networks as the infrastructure for future cyber operations.

(also creates foreign economic dependency)

PLASSF

MSS

China’s cyber elements are divided into two forces:

People’s Liberation Army Strategic Support Forces

PLASSF

Ministry of State Security

MSS

cyber, space, electronic

reorganizing into the Strategic Support Forces combined _______ , _______ , and _______ warfare units into a single organization

operational security, sophistication

Since the reorganization, the PLASSF forces have increased _______ and _______ of their attacks.

Russia, China

_______ and _______ are the US’s main adversaries in cyberspace

asymmetrically

Iran and North Korea can launch disruptive cyberattacks & use cyberspace to _______ respond to perceived challenges.

generate revenue

increase notoriety

disrupt international communication & trade

Non-state actors and cyber criminals continue to use malicious cyberattacks to _______ , _______ , and _______.

state-sponsored, state-directed

although there is a strong presence of cybercriminal actors operating out of Russia, there are not clear ties to their operations being _______ or _______

FSB

SVR

GRU

Russia organizes their state-sponsored cyber elements into three organizations:

Federal Security Service

FSB

Foreign Intelligence Service

SVR

GRU

Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation

FSB

counterintelligence operations

SVR

human intelligence

GRU

all other intelligence services (muddled mess)

GRU

• Associated with attacking government and defense industries, the ___ is responsible for breaching the Pentagon’s network in 2015 and the DNC’s in 2016

• also responsible for disabling power grids in multiple Eastern European countries (Georgia in 2008 & Ukraine in 2015)

• assessed to be the best resourced organization for cyber operations.

SVR

In 2020, the United States publicly acknowledged that the ___ was the lead element behind the SolarWinds attack

space domain

area above the altitude where atmospheric effects on airborne objects become negligible

100km

USSPACECOM’s AOR is area greater than ___ above sea level.

near-worldwide coverage, denied

Space capabilities provide combatant commanders (CCDRs) with _______ and access to otherwise _______ areas.

Freedom of action

Overflight

Responsiveness

Multi-user capacity

Speed, reach, and persistence

Global perspective

advantages of space for operational purposes (6)

solar activity

radiation

natural orbital debris

natural threats to satellites (3)

man-made threats to satellites

unintentional

• satellite debris

• electromagnetic interference (EMI)

intentional

• jamming

• lasing

• cyberspace attacks

• antisatellite weapons

space, cyberspace

many _______ operations depend on _______, and a critical portion of cyberspace can only be provided via space operations (unique relationship)

Space Domain Awareness (SDA)

Space Control

Positioning, Navigation, and Timing

Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR)

Satellite Communications (SATCOM)

Satellite Operations (SATOPS)

Environmental Monitoring

Missile Warning

Nuclear Detonation Detection

Spacelift

10 space missions

orbit types

HEO (right)

MEO

GEO (big oval)

LEO (around earth)

geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO)

• circular

• nearly hemispheric

• disadvantages: far from earth, easier to jam

highly elliptical orbit (HEO)

• long ellipse

• 600 miles at point closest to Earth; 25,000 miles at high point

• large area; coverage of North or South latitudes; missile warning

• disadvantage: requires multiple satellites

medium earth orbit (MEO)

• roughly circular, stable orbit, less signal latency

• disadvantage: highest radiation environment

• 1,000 to 22,000 miles

low earth orbit (LEO)

• circular, near Earth, high resolution, high signal strength

• disadvantage: small coverage area

• manned space flight

• up to 1,000 miles above Earth’s surface

Space domain awareness (SDA)

info. on operational environment; physical, virtual, information

Space Control

offensive and defensive operations; providing continued, sustainable use of space; contributes to space deterrence; assures the use of space

Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT)

precise & accurate geolocation, navigation, and time reference services; GPS

ISR

space-based intelligence collection; includes overhead persistent infrared (OPIR)

Satellite Communications (SATCOM)

situational awareness, satellites; equatorial coverage or high-latitude coverage;

beyond line-of-sight connectivity

Environmental Monitoring

provides information on meteorological and oceanographic factors that affect military operations

Missile Warning

notifies national leaders of missile attack against North America, multinational partners, or forward-deployed personnel

Nuclear Detonation Detection

sensors to provide warning; place, height of burst, and yield of nuclear detonations

Spacelift

ability to deliver payloads (satellites or other materials) into space

Satellite Operations (SATOPS)

maneuver, configuration, operations and sustainment of on-orbit assets

Network Systems Department

cyberwarfare — its current major target is the United States

Space Systems Department

responsible for nearly all PLA space operations

• space launch & support

• space surveillance

• space information support

• space telemetry

• space warfare

2022 and 2024

We expect the Chinese space station in low Earth orbit (LEO) to be operational between ____ and ____.

Beidou Navigation Satellite System (BDS)

comprised of 35 satellites in the constellation

• 27x MEO

• 3x IGSO

• 5x GEO

Chang’e

lunar sample return mission that launched on 23 NOV 2020

Yaogan

comprehensive Chinese earth-observing and remote-sensing satellite platform

Russia

_______ focuses on integrating space services into its weapons and command-and-control systems

GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System)

consists of 24+ satellites in MEO; owned and operated by the Russian Federation

5.2

more than ___ million refugees have fled Syria since 2011

Nudol

anti-satellite mission

PL-19 (19th system at launch facility)

it is expected that Russian anti-satellite weapons will be aimed at communications satellites and imagery intelligence satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO)

Tiangong

Chinese Space Station; roughly 1/5 mass of International Space Station

chemical, biological

ISIS has _______ and _______ capabilities.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

leader of ISIS in September 2017; killed 2019; long-term strategy of establishing “global caliphate”

(killed by US Special Ops in 2019)

online

ISIS will maintain an expansive _______ presence.

2017, 2018

ISIS suffered significant setbacks in ____ and ____.

unmanned aerial systems (drones)

ISIS uses _______ for surveillance & delivery of explosives

Syria, Yemen

Al-Qaida remains a serious and persistent threat to U.S. interests worldwide. In particular, the group’s exploitation of conflicts in _______ and _______ offers opportunities for reconstituted external attack capabilities.

Ayman al-Zawahiri

2013 guidelines for jihad = “exhaust America and bleed her to death”

Hamza bin Laden

Al-Qaida is preparing for the next generation of leadership with Usama bin Laden’s son, _______, and his call to attack the United States in retaliation for his father’s death.

(son was killed in 2019 by U.S. counterterrorism operation)

Libya

Afghanistan

Philippines

ISIS’s capabilities have been degraded in _______, _______, and _______.

West

ISIS continues to inspire more attacks in major cities throughout the _______ than any other terrorist organization — significant terrorist threat to the United States and other Western nations.

displacement

Conflicts are driving record population _______, resource shortages, demographic shifts, and unplanned expenditures of economic and military assets in countries of strategic interest to the United States.

overtaxed, living standards, labor markets

Many Middle Eastern countries are closing their borders because public service provisions & government finances are being _______ , _______ _______ are declining, _______ _______ are narrowing, and they perceive a lack of burden sharing by countries outside the region.

counter space, strategic intel

overlapping missions of Space Systems Department and Network Systems Department

telemetry, tracking, and control

TT&C

GEO

disadvantage: Far from Earth - resolution and signal limitations - easier to jam signal latency

HEO

disadvantage: continuous coverage requires multiple satellites

MEO

disadvantage: highest radiation level environment

LEO

disadvantage: small coverage area over Earth surface, limited coverage windows for any specific geographic region

MSS

operates a global campaign of cyber espionage for economic, political and strategic purposes

dominance, Western, pro-democracy, global

Russia leverages their cyberspace capabilities to re-establish _______ in its near-abroad, damage ________ and ___-_________ influence, and expand _______ influence.

Al-Qaida affiliates

Somalia, North Africa, the Sahel, Yemen, South Asia

Minister of Defense & Chief of the General Staff

in charge of GRU

President of the Russian Federation

in charge of GRU, FSB, and SVR

SSF

theater command-level organization

GEO

~23,000 miles

HEO

~600-25,000 miles

MEO

~1,000-22,000 miles

LEO

~1,000 miles

GEO

continuous coverage over specific area; coverage nearly hemispheric

HEO

long dwell time over a large area; coverage of high North or South latitudes

MEO

stable orbit; less signal latency

LEO

Near Earth - high resolution and signal strength

MEO

Position, navigation, & timing; Communication

LEO

manned space flight, weather, communications