Interactive Wargaming Cyberwar 2025 - Support Tool for Training of Basic Cyberspace Operations Concepts to Military Professionals, Building Player's Knowledge Base and Experience

Cyberspace operations are an increasingly important mission focus and warfighting domain within the Department of Defense (DOD). There are a number of educational courses and training exercises that have been developed to prepare leaders to plan and execute cyberspace-based effects to support operations; however, there are currently no virtual simulations used by the military to train and educate servicemembers in the basic concepts of cyberspace operations. Because of this training gap, we have designed and developed CyberWar: 2025, a simultaneous turn-based multiplatform computer-based educational wargame that is intended to be used as a support tool for education and training of basic cyberspace operations concepts to military professionals and other DOD personnel. The objective of CyberWar: 2025 is to stimulate, build, and increase the players' knowledge base and experience in planning and practical application of cyberspace operations in the areas of defensive cyberspace operations, offensive cyberspace operations, and computer network exploitation. CyberWar: 2025 focuses on doctrine and doctrinal training as a serious game by reinforcing key learning objectives set by the DOD; however, this wargame also encourages player engagement and motivation through unique and balanced multiplayer interactions within a virtual environment. I. INTRODUCTION * A. WHY WE USE GAMES * B. WHY DO GAMES WORK? * C. PURPOSE AND TARGET AUDIENCE OF CYBERWAR: 2025 * D. CYBERWAR: 2025 SUPPORTING EDUCATION AND TRAINING * II. GAMIFICATION OF CYBERSPACE OPERATIONS FOR EDUCATION * A. HISTORY OF WARGAMING AND GAMIFICATION * B. EXAMPLES OF USE IN EDUCATION * C. EXAMPLES OF USES IN THE MILITARY * D. EXAMPLES OF USES FOCUSING ON CYBER * 1. CyberCIEGE * 2. CyberStrike * III. DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF CYBERWAR: 2025 * A. HOW CYBERWAR: 2025 IS DIFFERENT * B. CYBERWAR: 2025 LEARNING OBJECTIVES * C. SCOPING AND GAMIFYING THE CYBER PROBLEM * D. METHODS USED IN DEVELOPMENT * E. DESIGN OF CYBERWAR: 2025 * F. INITIAL DESIGN PHASE * 1. Redesigning and Refining * 2. Reduction in Game Complexity * 3. Cyber Effects Window and Research Investment Table * 4. Employment of Exploitation Effects and Strategy * G. DEVELOPMENT PHASE * 1. Working Group * 2. Software Improved Gameplay * 3. Initial Software Development Pitfalls * 4. Web-Browser-Based Development and Implementation * IV. CYBERWAR: 2025 OVERVIEW AND WALKTHROUGH * A. OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGY * B. CYBER EFFECT ACTIONS IN CYBERWAR: 2025 * 1. Defensive Cyberspace Operations Effects (DCO) * 2. Offensive Cyberspace Operations Effects (OCO) * 3. Computer Network Exploitation Effects (CNE) * C. CYBERWAR: 2025 INITIAL SETUP AND PLAY * D. DEVELOPMENT OF ADVANCED CYBER EFFECTS CAPABILITIES * E. WINNING/ENDING CYBERWAR: 2025 * F. WALKTHROUGH OF INITIAL ROUNDS FROM THE RED PLAYER PERSPECTIVE OF "DOTEVIL" * V. FUTURE RESEARCH AND CONCLUSION * A. ATTRIBUTION AND POSSIBLE RETRIBUTION * B. ADDITIONAL OCO, DCO, AND CNE EFFECTS AND TIES TO OPE AND MANEUVER ELEMENTS. * C. BALANCING OF CYBER EFFECTS AND SERVER POINT REBUILDING * D. ALLIANCES, TEAM COMMUNICATION, AND SUPPORTED MOVES * E. CONCLUSION * APPENDIX A. RULESET * A. HOW TO PLAY * B. ORDERS/EFFECTS * C. CYBER EFFECT DESCRIPTIONS * 1. Defensive Cyber Operations (DCO) * 2. Offensive Cyber Operations (OCO) * 3. Computer Network Exploitation (CNE) * D. INTER-DOMAIN ACTIONS * E. LINKS AND VISIBILITY * APPENDIX B. RANDOMIZATION AND ADJUDICATION MATH * APPENDIX C. RELATIONSHIP OF LEARNING OBJECTIVES TO ACTIONS IN CYBERWAR:2025