What is a Cyber Ops Planner?

The Cyber Ops Planner develops detailed plans for the conduct or support of the applicable range of cyber operations through collaboration with other planners, operators and/or analysts. Participates in targeting selection, validation, synchronization, and enables integration during the execution of cyber actions.

Cyber Ops Planner must know:

• computer networking concepts and protocols, and network security methodologies.
• risk management processes (e.g., methods for assessing and mitigating risk).
• laws, regulations, policies, and ethics as they relate to cybersecurity and privacy.
• cybersecurity and privacy principles.
• cyber threats and vulnerabilities.
• specific operational impacts of cybersecurity lapses.
• human-computer interaction principles.
• concepts, terminology, and operations of a wide range of communications media (computer and telephone networks, satellite, fiber, wireless).
• physical computer components and architectures, including the functions of various components and peripherals (e.g., CPUs, Network Interface Cards, data storage).
• understanding of operational design.
• website types, administration, functions, and content management system (CMS).
• accepted organization planning systems.
• forms of intelligence support needs, topics, and focus areas.
• attack methods and techniques (DDoS, brute force, spoofing, etc.).
• classification and control markings standards, policies and procedures.
• client organizations, including information needs, objectives, structure, capabilities, etc.
• common computer/network infections (virus, Trojan, etc.) and methods of infection (ports, attachments, etc.).
• computer networking fundamentals (i.e., basic computer components of a network, types of networks, etc.).
• crisis action planning and time sensitive planning procedures.
• crisis action planning for cyber operations.
• cryptologic capabilities, limitations, and contributions to cyber operations.
• cyber actions (i.e. cyber defense, information gathering, environment preparation, cyber-attack) principles, capabilities, limitations, and effects.
• cyber laws and legal considerations and their effect on cyber planning.
• cyber operations support or enabling processes.
• data communications terminology (e.g., networking protocols, Ethernet, IP, encryption, optical devices, removable media).
• deconfliction processes and procedures.
• evolving/emerging communications technologies.
• existing, emerging, and long-range issues related to cyber operations strategy, policy, and organization.
• fundamental cyber concepts, principles, limitations, and effects.
• fundamental cyber operations concepts, terminology/lexicon (i.e., environment preparation, cyber-attack, cyber defense), principles, capabilities, limitations, and effects.
• how Internet applications work (SMTP email, web-based email, chat clients, VOIP).
• how modern digital and telephony networks impact cyber operations.
• how modern wireless communications systems impact cyber operations.
• information security concepts, facilitating technologies and methods.
• intelligence support to planning, execution, and assessment.
• internal and external partner cyber operations capabilities and tools.
• Internet network addressing (IP addresses, classless inter-domain routing, TCP/UDP port numbering).
• malware.
• objectives, situation, operational environment, and the status and disposition of internal and external partner collection capabilities available to support planning.
• operational effectiveness assessment.
• operations security.
• organization cyber operations programs, strategies, and resources.
• organization decision support tools and/or methods.
• organization issues, objectives, and operations in cyber as well as regulations and policy directives governing cyber operations.
• organization objectives, leadership priorities, and decision-making risks.
• organization or partner exploitation of digital networks.
• organization policies and planning concepts for partnering with internal and/or external organizations.
• organizational hierarchy and cyber decision-making processes.
• organizational planning concepts.
• organizational structures and associated intelligence capabilities.
• physical and logical network devices and infrastructure to include hubs, switches, routers, firewalls, etc.
• planning activity initiation.
• planning timelines adaptive, crisis action, and time-sensitive planning.
• required intelligence planning products associated with cyber operational planning.
• staff management, assignment, and allocation processes.
• target and threat organization structures, critical capabilities, and critical vulnerabilities
• telecommunications fundamentals.
• the basic structure, architecture, and design of modern communication networks.
• the basics of network security (e.g., encryption, firewalls, authentication, honey pots, perimeter protection).
• the common networking and routing protocols (e.g. TCP/IP), services (e.g., web, mail, DNS), and how they interact to provide network communications.
• the critical information requirements and how they’re used in planning.
• the functions and capabilities of internal teams that emulate threat activities to benefit the organization.
• the information environment.
• the organizational planning and staffing process.
• the organizational structure as it pertains to full spectrum cyber operations, including the functions, responsibilities, and interrelationships among distinct internal elements.
• the outputs of course of action and exercise analysis.
• the process used to assess the performance and impact of operations.
• the processes to synchronize operational assessment procedures with the critical information requirement process.
• the range of cyber operations and their underlying intelligence support needs, topics, and focus areas.
• the relationships between end states, objectives, effects, lines of operation, etc.
• the role of network operations in supporting and facilitating other organization operations.
• the structure and intent of organization specific plans, guidance and authorizations.
• the structure, architecture, and design of modern digital and telephony networks.
• the ways in which targets or threats use the Internet.
• virtualization products (VMware, Virtual PC).
• what constitutes a “threat” to a network.
• wireless technologies (e.g., cellular, satellite, GSM) to include the basic structure, architecture, and design of modern wireless communications systems.

Key skills of the Cyber Ops Planner include:

• evaluating information for reliability, validity, and relevance.
• preparing and presenting briefings.
• utilizing feedback to improve processes, products, and services.
• utilizing virtual collaborative workspaces and/or tools (e.g., IWS, VTCs, chat rooms, SharePoint).
• administrative planning activities, to include preparation of functional and specific support plans, preparing and managing correspondence, and staffing procedures.
• applying analytical methods typically employed to support planning and to justify recommended strategies and courses of action.
• applying crisis planning procedures.
• documenting and communicating complex technical and programmatic information.
• preparing plans and related correspondence.
• reviewing and editing plans.
• anticipate key target or threat activities which are likely to prompt a leadership decision.
• apply the process used to assess the performance and impact of cyber operations.
• craft indicators of operational progress/success.
• graphically depict decision support materials containing intelligence and partner capability estimates.
• developing and executing comprehensive cyber operations assessment programs for assessing and validating operational performance characteristics.
• distinguish between notional and actual resources and their applicability to the plan under development.
• synchronize operational assessment procedures with the critical information requirement process.
• analyze and assess internal and external partner cyber operations capabilities and tools.

Cyber Ops Planner must be able to:

• communicate complex information, concepts, or ideas in a confident and well-organized manner through verbal, written, and/or visual means.
• accurately and completely source all data used in intelligence, assessment and/or planning products.
• apply critical reading/thinking skills.
• function in a collaborative environment, seeking continuous consultation with other analysts and experts—both internal and external to the organization—to leverage analytical and technical expertise.
• exercise judgment when policies are not well-defined.
• effectively collaborate via virtual teams.
• collaborate effectively with others.