sensitive military cyber operation
Defined in 1 place of the United States Code.
In this section, the term “sensitive military cyber operation” means an action described in paragraph (2) that—
(A) is carried out by the armed forces of the United States;
(B) is intended to achieve a cyber effect against a foreign terrorist organization or a country, including its armed forces and the proxy forces of that country located elsewhere—
(i) with which the armed forces of the United States are not involved in hostilities (as that term is used in section 4 of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1543)); or
(ii) with respect to which the involvement of the armed forces of the United States in hostilities has not been acknowledged publicly by the United States; and
(C)
(i) is determined to—
(I) have a medium or high collateral effects estimate;
(II) have a medium or high intelligence gain or loss;
(III) have a medium or high probability of political retaliation, as determined by the political military assessment contained within the associated concept of operations;
(IV) have a medium or high probability of detection when detection is not intended; or
(V) result in medium or high collateral effects; or
(ii) is a matter the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
Source
- 2026–present10 U.S.C. § 395Armed Forces · Notification requirements for sensitive military cyber operations · in this section
Sensitive Military Cyber Operation Defined.—(1) In this section, the term "sensitive military cyber operation" means an action described in paragraph (2) that—
(A) is carried out by the armed forces of the United States; and
(B) is intended to cause cyber effects outside a geographic location—
(i) where the armed forces of the United States are involved in hostilities (as that term is used in section 1543 of title 50, United States Code); or
(ii) with respect to which hostilities have been declared by the United States.
(2) The actions described in this paragraph are the following:
(A) An offensive cyber operation.
(B) A defensive cyber operation outside the Department of Defense Information Networks to defeat an ongoing or imminent threat.
Source
- 2018–201910 U.S.C. § 395Armed Forces · Notification requirements for sensitive military cyber operations · in this section
Sensitive Military Cyber Operation Defined.—(1) In this section, the term "sensitive military cyber operation" means an action described in paragraph (2) that—
(A) is carried out by the armed forces of the United States;
(B) is determined to—
(i) have a medium or high collateral effects estimate;
(ii) have a medium or high intelligence gain or loss;
(iii) have a medium or high probability of political retaliation, as determined by the political military assessment contained within the associated concept of operations;
(iv) have a medium or high probability of detection when detection is not intended; or
(v) result in medium or high collateral effects; and
(C) is intended to cause cyber effects outside a geographic location—
(i) where the armed forces of the United States are involved in hostilities (as that term is used in section 1543 of title 50, United States Code); or
(ii) with respect to which hostilities have been declared by the United States.
(2) The actions described in this paragraph are the following:
(A) An offensive cyber operation.
(B) A defensive cyber operation.
Source
- 2019–202010 U.S.C. § 395Armed Forces · Notification requirements for sensitive military cyber operations · in this section
Sensitive Military Cyber Operation Defined.—(1) In this section, the term "sensitive military cyber operation" means an action described in paragraph (2) that—
(A) is carried out by the armed forces of the United States;
(B) is intended to achieve a cyber effect against a foreign terrorist organization or a country, including its armed forces and the proxy forces of that country located elsewhere—
(i) with which the armed forces of the United States are not involved in hostilities (as that term is used in section 4 of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1543)); or
(ii) with respect to which the involvement of the armed forces of the United States in hostilities has not been acknowledged publicly by the United States; and
(C) (i) is determined to—
(I) have a medium or high collateral effects estimate;
(II) have a medium or high intelligence gain or loss;
(III) have a medium or high probability of political retaliation, as determined by the political military assessment contained within the associated concept of operations;
(IV) have a medium or high probability of detection when detection is not intended; or
(V) result in medium or high collateral effects; or
(ii) is a matter the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
(2) The actions described in this paragraph are the following:
(A) An offensive cyber operation.
(B) A defensive cyber operation.
Source
- 2020–202610 U.S.C. § 395Armed Forces · Notification requirements for sensitive military cyber operations · in this section