FORT BELVOIR, Va. –
Every individual, whether in uniform or not, is a critical warfighter in the cyber domain where data is the new currency of warfare, Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Kenneth Bruce, the senior enlisted leader for U.S. Cyber Command, told a Defense Logistics Agency audience July 7.
"The weakest point, pretty much in any network, is you, the human," Bruce said, jokingly calling attention to common habits like using unsecured public Wi-Fi or not updating default router passwords. "Thanks a lot, threat factor."
Bruce, who also serves as the senior enlisted advisor for the National Security Agency and Central Security Service, explained that U.S. Cyber Command has three core missions: defending the nation from malicious cyber actors, protecting the War Department’s information network, and supporting the joint force by integrating cyber effects into military plans. The services and combat support agencies maintain cyber security requirements to support this operation.
Some of the challenges encountered are the constant attacks on the networks. Bruce described approximately 750,000 pieces of traffic per minute, inviting hundreds of thousands of attacks. These attacks are constantly monitored to prevent harm to the networks, he said.
Bruce stressed that in this digital battlespace, data is paramount.
"Cyber is a warfighting domain. Data is a currency of warfare," he said. "If I can corrupt your data, if I can change your data, if I can remove your data, I can win."
To counter varied and persistent threats, Bruce highlighted the importance of collaboration between government and industry. He described the NSA's Cybersecurity Collaboration Center, which aids defense industrial base companies, including small mom-and-pop businesses, in hardening their cyber defenses.
He described DLA's role in this ecosystem, noting that logistics are a primary source of intelligence for adversaries. The movement of fuel, medical supplies, food and other classes of supply provides clear indications and warnings of military intentions.
"If DLA is not secure, then the rest of us are not secure,” Bruce said.
Bruce also answered audience questions, such as on the evolving tactics of adversaries like China, who have moved beyond simple hacking to wage cognitive warfare. By influencing entertainment, media and social platforms, he described the ability to shape thoughts and beliefs as part of a total-war strategy.
He also acknowledged the challenge of recruiting and retaining top talent when competing with private sector salaries. Bruce suggested the National Guard and Reserve components offer a way for professionals to serve their country while maintaining successful civilian careers, citing an example of an Air National Guard member who is a senior vice president at a software company.
Cybersecurity in the coming years may end up relying more on artificial intelligence augmenting the abilities of traditional analysts.
“I think the future of artificial intelligence is also changing how we approach cybersecurity and the humans that will actually do it,” Bruce said. “It's going to be one cybersecurity analyst and about 1,000 AI agents doing the work.”