US Cyber Command Carries Out Hunt-Forward Operation in Latin America

Brig. Gen. Reid Novotny, special assistant to the director of the Air National Guard for U.S. Cyber Command J5 matters, has revealed that a hunt-forward operation was conducted by the U.S. Cyber National Mission Force somewhere in the U.S. Southern Command’s area of responsibility. CYBERCOM has not revealed precisely where the exercise took place. SOUTHCOM’s jurisdiction covers more than 24 nations, including Argentina, Brazil and Nicaragua.

Speaking at a recent Potomac Officers Club event, Novotny explained that hunt-forward operations are an information-gathering activity on allied networks. The results of such operations are used to improve domestic and allied cybersecurity practices.

According to Maj. Gen. William Hartman, CNMF commander, areas outside the United States typically serve as testing grounds for cyber tactics. He explained that hunt-forward operations serve to strengthen partners’ critical systems against attacks and enable the identification of threats before they reach the U.S., Defense News reported Friday.

In May, it was announced that CYBERCOM undertook a three-month hunt-forward operation in Latvia to search for potential threats to European critical infrastructure.