PENETRATE, EXPLOIT, DISRUPT, DESTROY: THE RISE OF COMPUTER NETWORK OPERATIONS AS A MAJOR MILITARY INNOVATION by Craig J. Wiener A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of George Mason University in Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Biodefense Committee: _______________________________________ Gregory Koblentz, Chair _______________________________________ A. Trevor Thrall _______________________________________ Stuart Malawer _______________________________________ Gregory Koblentz, Program Director _______________________________________ Mark J. Rozell, Dean Date: __________________________________ Fall Semester 2016 George Mason University Fairfax, VA Penetrate, Exploit, Disrupt, Destroy: The Rise of Computer Network Operations as a Major Military Innovation A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at George Mason University By Craig J. Wiener Master of Science George Mason University, 2010 Bachelor of Arts New York University 1992 Director: Gregory Koblentz, Associate Professor Schar School of Policy and Government Fall Semester 2016 George Mason University Fairfax, VA Copyright 2016 Craig J. Wiener All Rights Reserved ii DISCLAIMER Any errors herein are solely those of the author. Additionally, the views expressed herein are those of the author. iii DEDICATION To Betty: I wish you were here. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I have a tremendous number of people to thank who have helped me throughout my Master of Science and PhD studies, leading to the submission of my dissertation. It literally took a village, and although I cannot thank everyone here, please know the depth of my gratitude is significant and ongoing. I would like to thank the faculty and staff of the George Mason School of Policy, Government and International Affairs, and the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs for giving me an opportunity to pursue my studies in national security. Specifically, I would like to thank Dr. Rueben Brigarty, the former Director of the Biodefense Department at GMU, who made the decision to allow me into the program after a thirteen-year absence from academia, and who valued the single-minded drive I had to pursue an MS and a PhD. I would like to also thank Dr. Robert Baker for providing me a top-notch education in pathogenic bacteriology, virology and toxicology that forms the foundation of my technical biological weapons knowledge and my friends Mr. Larry Small, Mr. Matthew Moakler and Dr. Jeffrey Curry for encouraging me to pursue my dreams of assisting with US national security. I would like to thank Dr. Gregory (the beatings will continue until morale improves) Koblentz, my academic advisor and the chair of my dissertation committee, for the entirety of my education at George Mason. Similarly, I would also like to vigorously thank my other committee members Dr. Trevor Thrall, Dr. Stuart Malawer, Mr. Robert L. Dietz, Dr. Allison MacFarlane and my friend and colleague Dr. Daniel Gerstein. I would like to especially thank my unfailing mentor, General Michael V. Hayden. Over five-plus years, I’ve had the distinct honor of studying under General Hayden as his graduate teaching assistant and, as warranted, class lecturer. Without the General, the fantastic Sandy Stanar Johnson and the invaluable Mr. William Marshall, this dissertation topic could never have been successfully addressed. Furthermore, I would like to thank the Prepublication Review Board and historians at National Security Agency, Central Intelligence Agency and my colleagues at the Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration. The following individuals turned this journey into a joy, and an invaluable set of senior national security leadership lessons in what it means to serve our nation: General Kenneth Minihan, Mr. Bill Black, Mr. James Gosler, Admiral William O. Studeman, Mr. Glenn Gaffney, Admiral Michael McConnell, Ambassador Linton Brooks, Mr. Chris Inglis, Mr. Rich Haver, the former high-ranking DoD official who still serves his country, the DoD historian, Dr. George Duchak and Mrs. Linda Millis. Special thanks go to Mr. Charles Durant, Mr. Jon King, Mr. Shawn Sullivan, Mr. Frank Lowery and Mr. Roger Lewis for their support of my efforts on an ongoing basis. I v am indebted to Dr. Michael Warner from the Department of Defense, Mr. Bob Blunden, and Major General Keffer from US Cyber Command for all their help and facilitation, and to my friends Dr. Christopher Ford and Mr. Jamil Jaffer for talking through various aspects of the case study with me over time. Mr. Pat Bomgartner and his entire team were incredibly helpful, and kind beyond words. Thank you! I appreciate the permission granted by Peter Collins of Internet Live Stats to use a screenshot of one of their graphics. I would also like to thank the Center for Strategic and International Studies for my time as a Nuclear Scholar in the Project on Nuclear Issues and the members of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA) for naming me the Sidney Drell Academic Award winner as I strove to complete my doctorate while working my way through school. My thoughts are with my grandfather Paul Wiener and my uncle Jerome Feldman, and all the members of my family over the last four generations who have served in the US armed forces, not all of whom came home. I would like to thank my father and mother for teaching me well, encouraging me and ensuring I had all the books I could possibly read when I was a child. To my wife Rachel, who stands beside me, and whose love, kindness, patience and efforts made my dreams a reality: I love you with all my heart, forever and ever. vi SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE Admiral William O. Studeman has held positions as the Commanding Officer, Navy Operational Intelligence Center, 1982-84; Director, Long-Range Planning Group, and Executive Director of Advanced Technology Panel of the Chief of Naval Operations Executive Board, 1984-85. He served as the Director of Naval Intelligence, 1985-88 prior to becoming Director, National Security Agency, August 1988-April 1992. Admiral Studeman began his tenure as Deputy Director, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on 9 April 1992-3 July 1995 and was Acting Director of Central Intelligence, 21 January-5 February 1993 and 11 January-9 May 1995 respectively. Vice Admiral John (Mike) McConnell has a 40-year career inside the US National Security establishment. A career Naval Intelligence Officer with 29 years of service, Admiral McConnell has served as Director of Intelligence Pacific Fleet and Seventh Fleet, as well as the Intelligence Officer for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Colin Powell, and Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney during the First Gulf War. From 1992 to 1996 he served as the Director of the National Security Agency (DIRNSA) under Presidents George H. W. Bush and William J. Clinton prior to entering the private sector. Admiral McConnell returned to direct government service as the Director of National Intelligence from 2007-2009 under George W. Bush. Ambassador Linton F. Brooks served from July 2002 to January 2007 as Administrator of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Deputy Administrator for Nuclear Nonproliferation at NNSA, Assistant Director of the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, Chief U.S. Negotiator for the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, Director of Defense Programs and Arms Control on the National Security Council staff, and a number of Navy and Defense Department assignments as a 30-year career naval officer. In addition to his government service, Ambassador Brooks spent eight years as Vice President at the Center for Naval Analyses. William P. (Bill) Marshall has a broad base of expertise in intelligence and cyber- related matters after nearly 35 years of service at the National Security Agency/Central Security Service (NSA/CSS), where he held a variety of senior leadership, management and analysis positions in support of the U.S. Intelligence Community and Department of Defense. Over the decade of 2000-2010, Mr. Marshall provided leadership in cyber operations and related technology development in three key U.S. Government assignments. From 2008 to 2009, Mr. Marshall served as NSA’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Cyber, a position in which he supported the Director, NSA as the agency’s senior vii cyber strategist. In this assignment, he played a central role in coordinating agency-wide planning and preparations in support of the Defense Department’s new U.S. Cyber Command. From 2005 to 2008, as the first Director of the NSA Threat Operations Center (NTOC), he led the development of it from start-up to a widely respected center for cyber security operations in the federal government. The NTOC played a vital role in the delivery of time-sensitive intelligence, warning and response to global threats to U.S. Government information networks. From 1998 to 2002, as Director of the Information Operations Technology Center (IOTC), a joint Intelligence Community and Department of Defense Organization, he led a key interagency activity that produced specialized tools, assessments and operating concepts in support of U.S. Government cyber operations. He successfully led efforts to develop assessments and provide recommendations in support of major Intelligence Community policy and capability decisions designed to improve the collection, production and use of signals intelligence. Richard L. Haver served on active duty in the U.S. Navy from 1967 to 1973. In 1973, Mr. Haver became a civilian intelligence analyst in the Anti-Submarine Warfare Systems branch at the Naval Intelligence Support Center. In 1976, he was selected as a department head at the Navy Field Operational Intelligence Office (NFOIO), and the next year became the Technical Director of the Naval Ocean Surveillance Information Center. He subsequently held the senior civilian position at NFOIO, serving as Technical Director until assuming the position of Special Assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence in 1981.