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(U//FOUO) Digital Network Exploitation (DNE), Digital Network
Intelligence (DNI) and Computer Network Exploitation (CNE)
FROM:
Deputy Director for Data Acquisition
Run Date: 07/16/2003
(U//FOUO) DNE, DNI and CNE are interrelated acronyms used
extensively in SIGINT that are often confused:
(S) Digital Network Exploitation (DNE) - Extracting target
intelligence that requires processing multiple layers of
computer protocols that contain multiple types of digitally
represented information (voice, fax, video, images,
documents, formatted data, emails, messages, etc.) from
any device on the digital global network.
(S) Digital Network Intelligence (DNI) - Encompasses the
set of facts, inferences and relationships that describe
target intelligence extracted from communications residing
on the digital global network. DNI is the resultant
intelligence that DNE produces.
(TS//SI) Computer Network Exploitation (CNE) - Active or
"end-point" collection, which involves the surreptitious
infiltration and mastery of computers and other
network components. Once a device or network has been
infiltrated, data of interest can be extracted directly or the
targeted system's operation can be modified to facilitate
mid-point collection (for instance, by covertly tagging data
of interest, rerouting data along accessible links, subtly
weakening encryption, etc.).
(TS//SI) DNE is independent of the type of access: the collection
can either be end-point or mid-point, active or passive, may (or
may not) use CNE methods/techniques. Collection is not limited to
a computer; it can be against any system or device in the digital
environment.
(S//SI) As our targets continue to migrate toward communications
that use the digital global network, DNE increasingly becomes the
center of our SIGINT business. This is evidenced by approximately
half of our current SID Strategic Objectives directly addressing our
need to improve DNE. The 3 V's (volume, velocity, variety) present
tremendous challenges in DNE. Our targets are moving from fixed
narrowband transmissions to shared, re-routable, extremely
wideband, multiplexed, multi-formatted transmissions. Each day,
new types of protocols and application formats appear in our
targets' communications. Finally, our targets communications are
increasingly buried by millions of non-target communications.
(TS//SI) The primary focus of SID's recent transformation efforts is
to improve our DNE. Fortunately, the business of DNE has some
great opportunities for improvement. The fact there is a global
network allows the concept of CNE collection. This allows us to
actively hunt the target instead of sifting through the chaff. Also,
most communications on the global network include some set of
labels about the source, destination and path of the information.
SERIES:
(U//FOUO) Data
Acquisition
1. Welcome to SID's
Data Acquisition
Directorate
2. The Collection
Strategies and
Requirements Center
3. Digital Network
Exploitation (DNE),
Digital Network
Intelligence (DNI)
and Computer
Network Exploitation
(CNE)
4. The Evolution of HF
5. The New Meade
Operations Center
This labeling supports new SIGINT development methodology.
Using DNE, with the improved labeling, we can quickly map the
social, logical and physical networks of our target space. Finally,
the continued growth of standards and their widespread use in the
global network will allow us to use Commercial-Off-The-Shelf
(COTS) tools to portray the communications exactly the same way
the target sees it.
(S) In conclusion, DNE is an on-going challenge that has already
produced extremely valuable intelligence with great continued
promise. Through the coming months and years, we will accelerate
our exploitation of DNI and track targets through their migration
onto the global network.
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid comms)."
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DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108