United States Cyber Command United States Cyber Command ( USCYBERCOM ) is an armed forces sub - unified command subordinate to United States Strategic Command . The command is located in Fort Meade , Maryland and led by General Keith B . Alexander . USCYBERCOM centralizes command of cyberspace operations , organizes existing cyber resources and synchronizes defense of U . S . military networks . Mission statement . " USCYBERCOM plans , coordinates , integrates , synchronizes and conducts activities to : direct the operations and defense of specified Department of Defense information networks and ; prepare to , and when directed , conduct full spectrum military cyberspace operations in order to enable actions in all domains , ensure US / Allied freedom of action in cyberspace and deny the same to our adversaries . " The text " 9ec4c12949a4f31474f299058ce2b22a " , which is located in the command ' s emblem , is the MD5 hash of their mission statement . The command is charged with pulling together existing cyberspace resources , creating synergy and synchronizing war - fighting effects to defend the information security environment . USCYBERCOM is tasked with centralizing command of cyberspace operations , strengthening DoD cyberspace capabilities , and integrating and bolstering DoD ’ s cyber expertise . Organization . USCYBERCOM is an armed forces sub - unified command subordinate to United States Strategic Command . Service components . U . S . Cyber Command is composed of several service components , units from military services who will provide Joint services to Cyber Command . Military specialties . These are the known military specialties directly involved with cyber . Service members enlisted under these specialties may be assigned to their respective Cybercommand Service Component Command . Background . An intention by the U . S . Air Force to create a ' cyber command ' was announced in October 2006 . An Air Force Cyber Command was created in a provisional status in November 2006 . However , in October 2008 it was announced the command would not be brought into permanent activation . On 23 June 2009 , the Secretary of Defense directed the Commander of U . S . Strategic Command ( USSTRATCOM ) to establish USCYBERCOM . In May 2010 , General Keith Alexander outlined his views in a report for the United States House Committee on Armed Services subcommittee : Initial operational capability was attained on 21 May 2010 . General Alexander was promoted to four - star rank , becoming one of 38 US General s , and took charge of U . S . Cyber Command in a ceremony at Fort Meade that was attended by Commander of U . S . Central Command GEN David Petraeus , and Secretary of Defense Robert M . Gates . USCYBERCOM reached full operational capability on 31 October 2010 . The command assumed responsibility for several existing organizations . The Joint Task Force for Global Network Operations ( JTF - GNO ) and the Joint Functional Component Command for Network Warfare ( JFCC - NW ) were absorbed by the command . The Defense Information Systems Agency , where JTF - GNO operated , provides technical assistance for network and information assurance to USCYBERCOM , and is moving its headquarters to Ft . Meade . Concerns . There are concerns that the Pentagon and NSA will overshadow any civilian cyber defense efforts . There are also concerns on whether the command will assist in civilian cyber defense efforts . According to Deputy Secretary of Defense William J . Lynn , the command " will lead day - to - day defense and protection of all DOD networks . It will be responsible for DOD ' s networks – the dot - mil world . Responsibility for federal civilian networks – dot - gov – stays with the Department of Homeland Security , and that ' s exactly how it should be . " Alexander notes , however , that if faced with cyber hostilities an executive order could expand Cyber Command ' s spectrum of operations to include , for instance , assisting the Department of Homeland Security defend their networks . Some military leaders claim that the existing cultures of the Army , Navy and Air Force are fundamentally incompatible with that of cyber warfare . Col Robert Costa , USAF even suggested a fourth branch of the military , an Information ( Cyber ) Service with Title 10 responsibilities analogous to its sister services in 2002 noting " While no one [ Instrument of National Power ] operates in a vacuum . . . , Information increasingly underpins the other three [ Diplomatic , Economic and Military ] , yet has proven to be the most vulnerable , even as US society becomes more dependent on it in peace , conflict , and war . To attack these centers of gravity , an adversary will use the weakest decisive point , . . . the Information IOP . In addition , the other IOPs benefit from Unity of Effort - - Constitutional balances of power ensure the Diplomatic and Military IOPs exercised by the President in concert with Congress are focused , while the Economic IOP achieves Unity of Action through international market controls and an international body of law . [ In 2002 ] , [ t ] he Information IOP however , [ was ] rudderless , lacking both Unity of Action and Unity of Command . " Others have discussed the creation of a cyber - warfare branch . LTC Gregory Conti and COL John " Buck " Surdu ( chief of staff of the United States Army Research , Development and Engineering Command ) stated that the three major services are " properly positioned to fight kinetic wars , and they value skills such as marksmanship , physical strength , the ability to leap out of airplanes and lead combat units under enemy fire . " Conti and Surdu reason : " Adding an efficient and effective cyber branch alongside the Army , Navy and Air Force would provide our nation with the capability to defend our technological infrastructure and conduct offensive operations . Perhaps more important , the existence of this capability would serve as a strong deterrent for our nation ' s enemies . " In response to concerns about the military ' s right to respond to cyber attacks , GEN Alexander stated " The U . S . must fire back against cyber attacks swiftly and strongly and should act to counter or disable a threat even when the identity of the attacker is unknown " prior to his confirmation hearings before the United States Congress . This came in response to incidents such as a 2008 operation to take down a government run extremist honeypot in Saudi Arabia . " Elite U . S . military computer specialists , over the objections of the CIA , mounted a cyberattack that dismantled the online forum " . " The new U . S . Cyber Command needs to strike a balance between protecting military assets and personal privacy . " stated Alexander , in a Defense Department release . If confirmed , Alexander said , his main focus will be on building capacity and capability to secure the networks and educating the public on the command ' s intent . " This command is not about an effort to militarize cyber space , " he said . " Rather , it ' s about safeguarding our military assets . " In July 2011 Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn announced in a conference that “ We have , within Cyber Command , a full spectrum of capabilities , but the thrust of the strategy is defensive . ” “ The strategy rests on five pillars , he said : treat cyber as a domain ; employ more active defenses ; support the Department of Homeland Security in protecting critical infrastructure networks ; practice collective defense with allies and international partners ; and reduce the advantages attackers have on the Internet . ” International effects and reactions . The creation of U . S . Cyber Command appears to have motivated other countries in this arena . In December 2009 , South Korea announced the creation of a Cyber Warfare command . Reportedly this is in response to North Korea ' s creation of a cyber warfare unit . In addition , the British GCHQ has begun preparing a cyber force . In addition , recent shift in military interest in Cyber warfare has motivated the creation of the first U . S . Cyber Warfare Intelligence Center . In 2010 , China introduced its first department dedicated to defensive cyber war and information security , in response to the creation of USCYBERCOM .