Keeping Cyber Command and NSA Integrated Operationally

Posted: March 12th, 2017

By John Dickson

John Dickson is a Principal at the Denim Group. He is a former Air Force intelligence officer with a strong background in electronic warfare and technology, and was part of the early efforts to defend Air Force networks. He was a member of the air combat targeting cell during Operation DESERT STORM operating out of Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. Dickson subsequently served in the Air Force Information Warfare Center (AFIWC) and was a member of the Air Force Computer Emergency Response Team (AFCERT). Since his transition to the commercial arena, he has played significant client facing roles at Trident Data Systems, KPMG and SecureLogix Corporation.

There as been discussion of a separation between the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command for a while, only for the change in administrations to cause brief hesitation. Now that the Trump administration is in full swing, it is time to revisit the prospect of a split between the country’s premier signals intelligence agency, and the its relatively new cyber warfare command. The Cipher Brief spoke with John Dickson, a former Air Force intelligence officer and Principal at the Denim Group, about how the NSA and Cyber Command must work closely with each other at an operational level to achieve their missions, and why a complete separation could affect this.

The Cipher Brief: What are the different operational roles of the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command?

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