Joint Functional Component Command for Network Warfare
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The Joint Functional Component Command Network Warfare (JFCC-NW) is the command responsible for coordinating offensive computer network operations for the United States Department of Defense. It is a subordinate command of United States Strategic Command.
The Commander, Joint Functional Component Command Network Warfare is dual-hatted as Director, National Security Agency. This component facilitates cooperative engagement with other national entities in computer network defense and offensive information warfare as part of the global information operations mission. This coordinated approach to information operations involves two other important supporting commands. The Director, Defense Information Systems Agency also heads the Joint Task Force-Global Network Operations. This organization is responsible for operating and defending U.S. worldwide information networks, a function closely aligned with the efforts of the Joint Functional Component Command Network Warfare.
The unit is also responsible for the highly classified, evolving mission of Computer Network Attack, or as some military personnel refer to it, CNA. The command's capabilities are highly classified, but it is believed that they destroy networks and penetrate enemy computers to steal or manipulate data, and take down command-and-control systems, for example. Some of these capabilities are known as Special Techical Operations (STO), which is above Top Secret and very few personnel in the military have this clearance.
One of its goals is defending sensitive networks like that of the Department of Defense, which hackers attempted to enter nearly 75,000 times in 2004 [link]. Another mission is attacking other computer networks; though the group does not admit ever doing so in the past, they could do so in the future.
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