This month, the LeMay Center highlights Operation GLOWING SYMPHONY’s decisive cyberspace operations in modern warfare.
In 2014, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) declared a so-called “caliphate” and seized control of parts of Iraq and Syria. Shortly thereafter, it was assessed that ISIS’s online propaganda campaign was highly effective, attracting recruits from around the world to help maintain their territorial control of Raqqa, Syria and Mosul, Iraq. The US and its allies knew they needed a comprehensive strategy that extended beyond traditional military tactics to counter the growing ISIS threat.
In response to the threat, Joint Task Force (JTF)-ARES was established by the US and its allies to cripple ISIS effectiveness in the cyber domain. First led by Lt Gen Cardon, then by Lt Gen Nakasone, JTF-ARES comprised a diverse range of expertise from intelligence analysts, counterterrorism experts, linguists, cultural specialists, behavioral analysts, IT hardware experts, and offensive cyberspace operators.
Throughout 2016, JTF-ARES prepared the battlespace through its surveillance and mapping of ISIS’s online networks to build a comprehensive picture of its architecture and key operators. In time, they identified ten key nodes within ISIS systems that, if compromised, would grant JTF-ARES control over or access to every account, IP address, domain, and financial transaction. Though the JTF’s cyber reconnaissance proved effective, the mission encountered internal resistance from the CIA, State Department, and FBI regarding its operational scope and complexity. After those objections were resolved and the conditions were set, the commander on the US operations floor initiated the operation with a simple command: “Fire!”
The effects were immediate and devastating. Malware disrupted ISIS communications, stolen passwords granted access to sensitive data, and vast swathes of information vanished. ISIS’s carefully crafted online presence, once a powerful tool for recruitment and propaganda, was severely disrupted. Though ISIS attempted to recover and retaliate, the JTF maintained relentless pressure and hindered their ability to operate freely in the digital domain. Each attempt by ISIS to re-establish their online presence was met with a rapid cyber counter-attack that further weakened their online presence and dramatically curtailed their recruitment efforts.
Why It Matters: Operation GLOWING SYMPHONY is a powerful testament to the crucial role of cyberspace operations in achieving joint force objectives across all domains. By seamlessly integrating cyber capabilities with traditional military operations, JTF-ARES achieved battlefield results that directly and decisively dismantled ISIS’s online capabilities while imposing significant cost on ISIS resources. Operation GLOWING SYMPHONY provides critical lessons for cybersecurity airmen and the future of warfare, emphasizing the paramount importance of information dominance in an era of hybrid warfare.
Learn More: For a deeper dive into cyberspace operations and their doctrinal underpinnings, explore Air Force Doctrine Publications (AFDP) 3-12, Cyberspace Operations, and AFDP 3-13, Information in Air Force Operations. To gain further insights from experts in the field, tune in to our podcast on cyberspace operations and command relationships, featuring Brigadier General Jonathan Rice (Ret.), the former Director of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Operations (ISR) within the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for ISR and Cyber Effects Operations at the Pentagon. Find our podcast episodes on www.doctrine.af.mil.