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CYBERWORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Overview

  • The DISA Risk Management Executive is working establish a robust workforce training and assessment program that will better prepare DoD cyber warriors to operate and defend our networks in an increasingly threat-based environment.
  • The training and assessment program will support the DoD Cyberspace Workforce Framework, which defines seven categories, 32 specialties, and 55 unique cyberspace roles that are performed within DISA. This framework provides a much more granular view of the cyberspace workforce than the traditional Office of Personnel Management occupational series codes or the military’s specialty codes.
  • Each work role will have a defined set of required knowledge, skills, and abilities for each proficiency level (entry, intermediate, and advanced). DISA will establish a training plan and supporting curriculum for each work role and proficiency level.
  • The agency will also develop cyber training assessments, which will be used to ensure development of necessary knowledge and skills required for increased competency in accomplishing individual and collective tasks in the cyber domain. This will provide a means to measure DISA’s cyber readiness.
  • All of the content developed for the DISA cyber workforce will also be made available across DoD for the military services and components to use as it meets their needs, avoiding duplication of effort and costs.

 

In February 2014, the DoD Chief Information Officer (CIO) issued a directive requiring the 36,000+ DoD civilian positions designated as information technology management (2210 series) to be coded according to their cyberspace specialty.

DISA coded its entire workforce using the draft DoD Cyberspace Workforce Framework. The agency coded all occupational series (not just 2210s) at both the specialty and role levels. This undertaking was completed three months prior to the CIO’s deadline.

The agency is now able to analyze workforce data by cyber role, career series, and proficiency level.

Data from DISA and other DoD entities will be used to identify and track manpower, personnel, and qualifications to assure a mission-ready DoD cyberspace workforce.

A training curriculum for each role and proficiency level will be developed and posted to the Information Assurance Support Environment website. The most recent curriculums that were developed and shared on the site are for the “Computer Network Defense Auditor” and “Cybersecurity Analyst/Information Security Professional” roles.

  • Cyber Protection Teams (CPTs) are comprised of active duty military personnel trained to perform both defensive and offensive cyber operations.
  • CPTs are components of the overall U.S. Cyber Command cyber mission force construct.
  • They provide incident detection, analysis, coordination, and response for computer and network incidents that occur within their designated area of responsibility (AOR).
  • CPTs provide shared status information, coordinate problem resolution, allow regional visibility, and provide other value-added services within their AOR.
  • The DoD Information Networks (DoDIN) CPTs are operationally aligned with the DISA Command Center (DCC). They receive direction from the DCC, but also have regional/combatant command-aligned responsibilities.
  • DISA is responsible for providing standardized training and assessment for DoDIN CPT units and personnel.
  • Established training includes an eight-day DoDIN CPT 101 course, and CPT cyber readiness squad courses for; networks, Windows, analysis, and the Host- Based Security System, and CPT cyber support courses for active directory, network protection, and patching methodology. A course for CPT team leads has also been established.

The DoD Cybersecurity Range provides an operationally realistic, persistent, DoDIN environment to exercise cyber warriors, test and evaluate new capabilities, and train network defenders.

The range, located in Stafford, Virginia, was established as part of the Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative and has been operational since 2009. The Cybersecurity Range is sponsored by DISA and operated by the Marine Corps. It is one of several DoD ranges governed by the DoD Enterprise Cyber Range Environment Charter.

There is no cost to users of the cybersecurity range’s network environment, which can be configured to support the needs of individual and group exercises, training, and other events. A small sample of the range’s capability offerings include: traffic generation, threat injection, simulated DoD and Internet enclaves, post-event data collection, and simulated DISA Internet access points and datacenters. Range operators will also work with mission partners to import custom enclaves and provide support services.

For more information on the DoD Cybersecurity Range visit https://c4.hqi.usmc.mil/CSR.asp (CAC/PKI required).