The OpenC2 Forum is initially focused on defining a language at a level of abstraction that will enable command and control of cyber defense entities that execute the actions with enough generality to provide flexibility in the implementations of devices and accommodate future products.

The initial scope of the OpenC2 effort is to create a lexicon with a set of terms that define the actions, the target of the actions, and the entities that execute the action. The OpenC2 language also defines an extensible syntax to accommodate attributes that further specify the targets, components, and actions that support a wide range of operational environments.