An Analysis of Factors That Have Influenced the Evolution of Information Assurance from World War I through Vietnam to the Present

This study is an exploratory historical analysis of the factors that have influenced the evolution of military Information Assurance (IA) programs from World War I to the present. Although the term IA has recently been widely used throughout the Information Resource Management field (IRM), evidence indicates that information and information systems protection mechanisms were used during every U.S. Military conflict. This research proposes to increase the body of knowledge within the information systems management field by exploring the areas related to Information Assurance (IA) and the ultimate goal of U. S. Defensive Information Warfare. I found that significant events related to the protection of information and information systems security throughout each U.S. Military conflict led to the implementation of IA concepts. The evaluation of these events provides information that reveals a common approach to IA throughout history and supports the identification of key concepts that have influenced this evolutionary process and shaped the role of IA in current military operations, with indicators of how it may be used in the future.