Which of the following describes the core lines of information operations commonly cited in joint doctrine?

• A. Military Deception, Public Relations, Electronic Warfare, and Weapons Logistics.
• B. Operations Security, Military Deception, Electronic Warfare, and Computer Network Operations.
• C. Military Deception, Psychological Operations/Influence, Electronic Warfare, Computer Network Operations, and Operations Security.
• D. Electronic Warfare, Computer System Operations, Information Assurance, and Public Affairs.

Answer: (C)

The concept being tested is the set of five lines that joint doctrine uses to frame information operations. Those five lines are Military Deception, Psychological Operations/Influence, Electronic Warfare, Computer Network Operations, and Operations Security. Military Deception aims to mislead an adversary about our capabilities or intentions. Psychological Operations, or Influence, seeks to shape the perceptions and decisions of targets, including friend, foe, or neutral audiences. Electronic Warfare leverages the electromagnetic spectrum to disrupt, deny, or degrade an opponent’s communications and sensors while protecting our own. Computer Network Operations encompasses defending, exploiting, and influencing adversary networks—essentially the cyber dimension of IO. Operations Security protects sensitive information and critical capabilities from being exposed or inferred by the enemy. Together, these lines cover deception, influence, cyber, electronic, and defensive information security actions that constitute the core of information operations.

Other options mix in items that aren’t considered IO lines in joint doctrine, such as Public Relations or Public Affairs, or substitute items like Information Assurance or Computer System Operations that refer to related disciplines but aren’t named IO lines.