Because information and the network will be valued - it will become a target. Therefore, a core strategic goal must be to design, build, and operate secure IT systems - resistant to Computer Network Exploitation and Computer Network Attack. Disruption or corruption of these systems could have devastating strategic effects. Information Assurance is the sine qua non of effective, reliable Network Centric Warfare. Assurance need not be absolute . . .
Nothing is in war.
But some aspects require higher levels of assurance. A troubling reality we must deal with is that most military systems obtain and process information from civilian systems over which the Department of Defense has a lesser, or no, degree of control. These civilians systems are likely to be much more vulnerable to CNE and CNA than military systems because of public access, and may have fewer resources dedicated to their security. Along the same lines, our military infrastructure is dependent upon the domestic civilian infrastructure. Military supply, logistics and routine communications systems rely extensively on the public telecommunications grid, the domestic electric grid, and domestic transportation systems.