CYBERCON – Cyber Readiness Conditions

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CYBERCON (Cyber Readiness Condition) is the U.S. Department of Defense’s modern framework for managing cyber threats against military and government networks. Introduced in 2015, CYBERCON replaced the older INFOCON model through Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction 6510.01B, reflecting a major shift in how cyber threats are understood and managed. Where INFOCON focused largely on network readiness, CYBERCON is threat-driven and intelligence-led, designed for an era of persistent state-sponsored cyber operations by adversaries such as China and Russia. By 2025, CYBERCON is fully implemented across the DoD and tightly integrated with broader readiness systems, including DEFCON, LERTCON, and nuclear command-and-control safeguards. Why CYBERCON Was Created INFOCON proved inadequate for modern cyber conflict. It was: Too reactive Inconsistently applied Poorly integrated with kinetic and nuclear command systems CYBERCON was created to: Respond to specific, credible cyber threats Enable graduated escalation, not blanket shutdowns Integrate cyber defense with mission assurance, NC3 survivability, and continuity planning Today, CYBERCON operates alongside: CPCON (Cyberspace Protection Condition for DoD networks) NC3 (Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications) Physical security postures such as FPCON Oversight and execution are led by U.S. Cyber Command in coordination with the National Security Agency. CYBERCON Levels Overview CYBERCON uses...