In LA Times Ken Dilanian piece, Virtual War a Real Threat. He runs down just how likely we are to have such an event.
As the nation struggles to HARDEN it's infrastructure from Virtual Attack by Cyber Armies sponsored by countries that may or may not be friends of the United States. Threat report after threat report has been written with little being done to actually accomplish the protection that will be needed if such a war breaks out. The article goes on to say that China has already laced the countries power grid with hidden malware that could produce a devastating effect. Terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda have not yet reached the capability to mount such an attach but potential adversaries such as China and Russia, DO. It is believed that organized crime and hacker groups could sell their services to these rogue states or terrorists however.
Ft. Meade, Md, now houses Cyber Command headed by General Keith Alexander, he also heads the NSA. The spy agency charged with listening to communications and penetrating foreign computer networks. Analysts say that the combined might of these agencies could wreak havoc on networks of countries that attack the United States.
In a recent interview Alexander stated that if a cyber war were conducted today, we would suffer tremendously as would our adversaries. He went on to say his cyber warriors were legally only authorized to defend and protect military networks.
The Department of Homeland security is charged with helping secure the civilian infrastructure. Many times it is left up to companies themselves and falls short. The issue has become enough of an issue that the White House has promised Senate leaders that it will offer its own cyber-security legislation in a month.
In Recent testimony from CIA Director Leon E. Panetta told Congressional leaders he is worried about a cyber Pearl Harbor.
No comments:
Post a Comment