Pentagon Cyber Unit Drafts Plan to Defend Critical Infrastructure

The Pentagon’s Defense Cyber Defense Command is developing a framework for responding to cyberattacks on critical infrastructure inside the United States. The effort centers on creating a joint task force and clarifying command lines among agencies that already hold legal authorities.

Building the Framework Col.

Adolph Rodriguez, director of Defense Critical Infrastructure at the DCDC, said the command is defining who controls operations and what shared processes will apply across agencies. He told attendees at the TechNet Cyber conference that the team is also designing “digital green zones” to identify essential data and separate it from malicious traffic.

The command is studying how Northern Command coordinates with civil authorities during natural disasters or attacks, seeking to apply similar structures to cyber incidents.

DCDC was elevated to a sub-unified command under U.S. Cyber Command in May 2025. Officials have noted that Chinese hackers known as Volt Typhoon have already accessed some U.S. infrastructure networks, shifting from espionage toward potential disruption.

Rodriguez said the goal is an enduring cyber campaign plan that uses existing authorities without creating new layers of bureaucracy. " — Col. Adolph Rodriguez, director of Defense Critical Infrastructure at the DCDC, TechNet Cyber conference The plan also calls for regular training, assessments, and identification of key infrastructure sectors modeled on FEMA structures.