FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Maryland –
Ten years ago, on Jan. 17, 2014, the Cyber National Mission Force was activated as a subordinate unit to U.S. Cyber Command with a mission to plan, direct and synchronize cyberspace operations to deter, deny, and if necessary, defeat adversary cyber actors in order to defend the nation.
Since its inception, CNMF has rapidly evolved to meet the needs of the nation, and has participated in, or responded to, almost every national crisis the U.S. has faced.
Throughout the last decade, CNMF has consistently broken new cyber barriers, finding solutions and responding to complex problems such as defending U.S. elections against foreign interference and influence, disrupting attacks against U.S. critical infrastructure, and accelerating its defend forward mission across the globe, even amidst a global pandemic.
Today, CNMF is the U.S. military’s elite joint cyber force, organized into six joint task forces, comprised of over 2,000 Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, Coast Guardsmen, and DoD civilians, all working together to Defend the Nation against the world’s most advanced malicious cyber actors.
CNMF has deployed more than 55 times to hunt malicious cyber activity in every geographic combatant command area of responsibility, sharing insights from their missions with interagency, industry and international partners to strengthen the cybersecurity posture of the U.S. and its partners and allies.
“When I look back to the formation of CNMF, it was about creating this culture of an elite force that began with incredible people, strong leaders, and a mission that was second to none,” said Gen. Paul M. Nakasone, commander of U.S. Cyber Command. “As cyber threats to the nation have evolved, as technology has advanced at a rapid pace, so too has CNMF — constantly evolving to meet the nation’s challenges in cyberspace — responding to major cyber-attacks, defending forward in every geographic theater, confronting and engaging the world’s most dangerous cyber actors, and defending the democratic processes of our nation.”
Emblematic of that growth and evolution, on Dec. 19, 2022, CNMF was elevated to a subordinate unified command under U.S. Cyber Command in recognition of its enduring mission to combat foreign malicious cyber actors, reflecting its ongoing success in support of national priorities and formalizing its organization's structure.
“It took a lot of hard work from a dedicated team of past and present members to realize the CNMF organization as one sees it today,” said U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Lorna M. Mahlock, CNMF commander. “Today is about reflecting on those past successes while remaining laser-focused on the future fight. We will continue to be the joint cyber 911 force our nation needs, adaptive and proactive to changing technologies, and persistently engaged with our partners and against our adversaries in cyberspace to 'Defend the Nation.'”