An AI-Driven Breach

Consider this fictional scenario: a Cyber National Mission Force team deploys advanced network sensors to monitor traffic for suspicious command-and-control signatures. Overnight, a decentralized hacker collective unleashes autonomous artificial-intelligence agents that breach a major cable provider’s supervisory control systems, then vanish—only to reappear minutes later under new cloud instances. Every time defenders shut down one node, the attackers spawn three more, splintering into dispersed cells across allied networks. Weeks of centralized analysis and military planning yield only fragmented code samples, while the adversary regenerates faster than the incident response cycle can close.

This composite vignette illustrates the problem: hierarchical defenses buckle under decentralized, machine-speed threats.

In this article, I argue that United States Cyber Command must mirror its starfish-style adversaries by adopting a distributed “team of teams” model, drawing on the decentralization principles of The Starfish and the Spider and the Joint Special Operations Command’s transformation under Stanley McChrystal, to outpace AI-enabled hackers.

The Rise of AI-Enabled Hackers

Artificial intelligence has moved beyond laboratory experiments into frontline cyber operations. In September 2024, United States Cyber Command published its AI roadmap for cyber operations, outlining plans to harness AI for predictive analytics, autonomous threat hunting, and rapid response. Yet adversaries have already leapfrogged ahead.

These operators, some with state backing, others freelance, deploy self-driving reconnaissance agents that map critical network topologies in minutes, engineer zero-day exploits in hours, and shift tactics on the fly. They gather in ephemeral circles on encrypted platforms, bound by ideologies that range from financial gain to political disruption. They leverage underground marketplaces for advanced AI toolsets. Their strength lies in decentralization: there is no single infrastructure node to neutralize, no central leadership to target.

The Starfish and the Spider: A Blueprint for Resilience

In The Starfish and the Spider, Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom contrast two organizational forms:

• A spider is centralized: sever the head, and the body collapses.
• A starfish is decentralized: remove one limb, and it regenerates—often into multiple new starfish.

They identify five traits that confer resilience on starfish networks:

1. Circles: small, autonomous groups bound by mutual trust.
2. Catalysts: individuals who spark and connect action, then step back.
3. Ideology: a shared purpose that unites and motivates the network.
4. Preexisting networks: infrastructure and relationships to build on.
5. Champions: relentless advocates who drive the mission forward.

AI-enabled hacker collectives already embody these traits. To defeat them, defenders must think—and operate—like a starfish.

A Proven Model: Joint Special Operations Command’s Networked Revolution

Nearly twenty years ago, Joint Special Operations Command found itself outmaneuvered by decentralized cells of Al Qaeda in Iraq. Each cell acted independently, adapted rapidly, and exploited slow decision cycles in the military hierarchy. Under Lieutenant General Stanley McChrystal, the command underwent a radical shift:

• Shared consciousness: a common information environment that gave every unit and partner agency a real-time operational picture.
• Empowered execution: authority to act pushed to the edge, allowing teams to make decisions without waiting for top-down approval.

This “team of teams” approach matched pace with decentralized terrorists, proving that a networked force can outfight a networked foe.

Applying the Starfish Model to Cyber Defense

United States Cyber Command’s operations center and the Cyber National Mission Force’s AI innovation cell are important steps. To truly outpace AI-enabled hackers, the command must fully embrace five starfish principles:

1. Build autonomous cyber circles. Form small, cross-functional teams—operators, analysts, software engineers, linguists—empowered to hunt and disrupt threats in real time, without layers of approval.
2. Cultivate catalysts, not commanders. Appoint leaders who spark innovation, clear barriers, then fade into the background, enabling rapid experimentation and deployment of AI tools.
3. Anchor in a shared machine-speed ideology. Unify participants around one clear mission: defend the nation’s digital terrain at machine speed. This purpose must guide training, resourcing, and collaboration at every level.
4. Leverage existing networks. Deepen partnerships with the National Security Agency, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, industry innovators, and allied cyber forces to tap talent and intelligence pathways.
5. Empower champions. Identify and support individuals from operations, technology, and strategy communities who relentlessly advocate for new tactics, architectures, and processes.

As Lieutenant General William J. Hartman, acting commander of United States Cyber Command, testified before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, “Cyberspace operations demand and reward agility and rapid capability development. We must act with speed, scale, and agility to stay ahead of adversaries who are persistent, sophisticated, and increasingly enabled by emerging technologies.”

From Reaction to Proaction: A Way Forward

Decentralized, AI-enabled hackers will not wait for defenders to catch up. If United States Cyber Command remains a centralized spider, it will forever be on the defensive. By becoming a distributed starfish—small, empowered cyber circles bound by shared data and purpose—the command can anticipate threats, disrupt AI pipelines, and regenerate defenses as quickly as attacks evolve.

The Joint Special Operations Command’s metamorphosis demonstrates that a networked force can outmatch a networked foe. With critical infrastructure, election integrity, and public trust at stake, United States Cyber Command must evolve now or risk perpetual reaction. It is time to become a starfish.

Disclaimer: About the Author: Major Joe Hap is an Active Duty Air Force Intelligence Officer. He is currently serving as a staff officer and has previously served as an acting Squadron Commander, Director of Operations, Flight Commander, and Chief of Wing Intelligence. The views and opinions expressed or implied in the above article are those of the author and should not be construed as carrying the official sanction of the Department of Defense, United States Air Force, or other agencies or departments of the US government or their international equivalents.