Tackling DoD Cyber Red Team Deficiencies Through Systems Engineering

Red teaming is an essential capability in preparing and assessing the Department of Defense's (DoD) ability to execute their mission in a contested cyber environment. The identified deficiencies in DoD's overall red team capability resulting from their adhoc implementation creates unknown mission risk to the Combatant Commands and Services leading to a significant threat to national security. Unfortunately, many senior DoD officials are citing a lack of resources as the reason for the deficiencies and believe an increase in funding will solve the issues. However, funding alone is not scalable to address DoD's gaps in red team capability, and throwing more money to the existing adhoc process is quickly becoming a huge money pit for the DoD. This paper analyzes the deficiencies and concludes the primary cause to be a lack of a structured process needed to define, design, build, and sustain the required DoD red team capability. The solution presented is to treat the overall DoD cyber red team function as a complex system operating within a system of systems and apply the systems engineering process. Implementing a systems engineering process will eliminate some of the identified deficiencies through design and will identify feasible solutions or alternatives to the deficient areas which design cannot eliminate. The systems engineering process can help DoD build an effective and efficient red team capability which is needed to ensure the military can successfully execute its missions in the contestant cyber environment.