This bill amends Title 10, United States Code, to expand the scope of the Department of Defense's affirmed authority for conducting cyber operations. It specifically includes the defense of critical infrastructure of the Department of Defense within the activities for which cyber operations are authorized, alongside existing provisions like force protection. The legislation defines "critical infrastructure of the Department of Defense" as any asset so vital to the Department's functioning and armed forces' operations that its incapacitation or destruction by a cyber attack would severely debilitate the Department's ability to fulfill its missions. This expansion aims to bolster the Department's capacity to protect its most essential assets from sophisticated cyber threats.