The Rand Corporation released a report this week called “Cyberdeterrence and Cyberwar.” This report — like so many others — called upon the United States government, military, law enforcement and the private sector to accelerate efforts to defend against acts of cyber aggression. And this report, like so many others, concluded that the U.S. and other highly computerized nations are in great danger of a coordinated cyber attack. U.S. military officials have openly acknowledged that their networks are scanned or attacked millions of times a day.
By my count there have been 18 bills that have been introduced and rumors of 2 additional ones coming soon, all that address the threat of cyber attack, all supported by expert testimony about the risks. Some bills would protect the electric grid and require the public and private sector infrastructure providers to secure and protect their networks and computer systems. Other bills focus on protecting the computer systems of federal agencies. While still other proposed legislation addresses public awareness and technical education as well as raises the planned White House cyber adviser (AKA Cyber Czar) to a Cabinet-level position.
A number of studies and reports by experts have stated that between 10 and 15 percent of computers have been compromised, and that means millions of compromised computers are in operation within the United States. How many times must experts in this area tell us that the U.S. has to increase and accelerate efforts to protecting critical infrastructure from cyber attacks? Some believe it will take a cyber 911 before Washington responds to what has been said that one aspect of this threat, cyber terrorism, poses the same threat to national security as a missile attack.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Dear All:
Hello, every one! my name is Artt Ri from ITRI Taiwan, an elite group of electronic researcher/hackers building cool tech gadgets
Experts can tell us that we need to protect critical infrastructure from cyber attacks until they are blue in the face. Until someone figures out a way to do so, it’s not going to help much. With current technology that is not possible and still have system that is useful.
Personally, I don’t think it’s impossible to harden the civilian infrastructure from attacks to a point that’s both cost efficient and reliable. What is lacking currently is the will to do so.
But these are massive undertakings to be sure.
For one, we need to immediately start manufacturing our own software and hardware domestically, then begin replacing the foreign components on a most-to-least critical basis. This is a huge undertaking to be sure, but it’s well worth the cost when you consider that most of our domestic hardware/software is manufactured by the countries that are our biggest cyber threats.
Secondly, a concentrated effort must be made to get everyone, both governmental and civilian to understand that we are under constant attack in the cyber realm, and this issue needs to be viewed with the same seriousness and urgency as a physical attack by traditional military or terrorist forces on our homeland. As the CIA/Logic Bomb/Russian gas pipeline incident clearly showed, cyber attacks can be turned into real physical destruction very easily.
Lastly, I for one think we’re probably a lot further along in this stuff than we’re led to believe publicly. That’s not to say that there isn’t a lot of real tangible improvements to be made. Let’s hope this issue gets dealt with with the seriousness and resources it deserves.
Here’s to securing the homeland, one byte at a time.
~Philo~
Personally, I don’t think it’s impossible to harden the civilian infrastructure from attacks to a point that’s both cost efficient and reliable. What is lacking currently is the will to do so.
But these are massive undertakings to be sure.
For one, we need to immediately start manufacturing our own software and hardware domestically, then begin replacing the foreign components on a most-to-least critical basis. This is a huge undertaking to be sure, but it’s well worth the cost when you consider that most of our domestic hardware/software is manufactured by the countries that are our biggest cyber threats.
Secondly, a concentrated effort must be made to get everyone, both governmental and civilian to understand that we are under constant attack in the cyber realm, and this issue needs to be viewed with the same seriousness and urgency as a physical attack by traditional military or terrorist forces on our homeland. As the CIA/Logic Bomb/Russian gas pipeline incident clearly showed, cyber attacks can be turned into real physical destruction very easily.
Lastly, I for one think we’re probably a lot further along in this stuff than we’re led to believe publicly. That’s not to say that there isn’t a lot of real tangible improvements to be made. Let’s hope this issue gets dealt with with the seriousness and resources it deserves.
Here’s to securing the homeland, one byte at a time.
~Philo~
Sorry, Didn’t mean to double post.
Did Kevin even bother to read the paper? The guy who publicly stated that cyberwar was as great a threat as nuclear war posts a paper containing the conclusions|
Oblat
CRAWL Back under your rock!
Geeze O’ Pete, what’s with all the spam here? FFS
I find it so sweet that Kevins employees post here too.
It isn’t spam it’s a “targeted business message” just ask Kevin
Kevin
I was present at your testimony before the congressional commission in the spring. I vividly remember you answering the question the Congressional Commission asked you about how to fix the cyber security problem. You said
Thanks Frank!!!