Department of
Defense
INSTRUCTION
NUMBER 5200.44
November 5, 2012
Incorporating Change 3, October 15, 2018
DoD CIO/USD(R&E)
SUBJECT: Protection of Mission Critical Functions to Achieve Trusted Systems and Networks
(TSN)
References: See Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE. This Instruction, in accordance with the authorities in DoD Directive (DoDD)
5134.01 (Reference (a)) and DoDD 5144.02 (Reference (b)):
a. Establishes policy and assigns responsibilities to minimize the risk that DoD’s warfighting
mission capability will be impaired due to vulnerabilities in system design or sabotage or
subversion of a system’s mission critical functions or critical components, as defined in this
Instruction, by foreign intelligence, terrorists, or other hostile elements.
b. Implements the DoD’s TSN strategy, described in the Report on Trusted Defense Systems
(Reference (c)) as the Strategy for Systems Assurance and Trustworthiness, through Program
Protection and cybersecurity implementation to provide uncompromised weapons and
information systems. The TSN strategy integrates robust systems engineering, supply chain risk
management (SCRM), security, counterintelligence, intelligence, cybersecurity, hardware and
software assurance, and information systems security engineering disciplines to manage risks to
system integrity and trust.
c. Incorporates and cancels Directive-Type Memorandum 09-016 (Reference (d)).
d. Directs actions in accordance with the SCRM implementation strategy of National
Security Presidential Directive 54/Homeland Security Presidential Directive 23 (Reference (e)),
section 806 of Public Law 111-383 (Reference (f)), DoDD 5000.01 (Reference (g)), DoDI
5000.02 (Reference (h)), DoDI 8500.01 (Reference (i)), Committee on National Security
Systems Directive No. 505 (Reference (j)), and National Institute for Science and Technology
Special Publication 800-161 (Reference (k)).
2. APPLICABILITY. This Instruction applies to:
a. OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
(CJCS) and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Office of the Inspector General of the
