What is the primary objective of persistent engagement in cyberspace?

The primary objective of persistent engagement in cyberspace is to proactively defend networks and deter attacks by continuously monitoring, engaging with, and disrupting adversaries within their own operating environments, rather than solely relying on passive defenses at the network perimeter. It shifts the focus from reacting to attacks to actively shaping the cyber landscape to make it more difficult and costly for adversaries to operate. This involves proactively identifying and tracking malicious actors, understanding their tactics and techniques, and disrupting their operations before they can launch attacks. Persistent engagement also includes working with partners to share information and coordinate defensive efforts. The goal is to create a dynamic and resilient cyber defense that can adapt to evolving threats and deter adversaries from launching attacks in the first place. This differs from traditional approaches that focus on building stronger firewalls and intrusion detection systems, as persistent engagement recognizes that adversaries will always find new ways to penetrate defenses. Therefore, persistent engagement requires a more proactive and aggressive approach to cyber defense, aimed at constantly disrupting and degrading the capabilities of adversaries within cyberspace. An example of this is actively seeking out and neutralizing botnet command and control servers used to launch distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks before they can be used to disrupt network services.