Simulating Cyberattacks on Nuclear Command and Control

During the height of the Cold War, the biggest fear involved the possibility of mutually assured destruction (MAD) from nuclear warfare. However, in today’s digital world, we find that military and strategic systems are under constant siege from cyber attacks. Within the nuclear realm, the threat of cyber attacks is relatively high due to advanced persistent threats (APTs) from both nation state adversaries as well as non-state actors. The subject paper and corresponding podcast explores the utilization of simulation technology to evaluate cyber attack scenarios on a nuclear command and control (NC2) facility. The information obtained from these simulated test scenarios will be analyzed to determine different factors, such as the intent and attribution of the cyber incident. Based on the evaluation of this info, proportionate response option recommendations will be provided to leadership personnel in order to support the critical decision-making process.