Information assurance is another key area where the general believes the Marine Corps and the Defense Department can improve their capabilities. He notes that information operations can be a tremendous force multiplier not only for the United States but also for potential adversaries. Gen. Shea sees information assurance, and computer network defense in particular, as an Achilles' heel for the U.S. military. I don't think enough people understand what the issues are when it comes to computer network defense. There are a lot of pundits around who don't think it's that big a deal.
Viruses are an example of an issue deserving constant attention, the general says.
When a virus gets into a network, it slows operations. Likewise, U.S. combat superiority is based on being able to maneuver more quickly than the enemy. The general says the issue of network defense has not been adequately studied in depth. I don't think we've even begun to understand the issue of computer network defense. I think it's a lot more technical than anyone understands.