US cyber war defences 'very thin', Pentagon warns

[Armenum]

Interesting read. Following all the wikileaks controversy and also the virus that hit Iran's nuclear plants, the importance of cyber war is being put more into the spot light. It's surprising that US, out of all the countries, would have "thin" computer defences and possibly shows how slow governments have been to take a forefront stand in this emerging area of ware fare. Given what the cyber world has been able to do to a nuclear facility of another country at the present day - we will only see more emphasis and importance put on the cyber and information ware-fare between countries - and who knows, maybe one day replace actual fighting.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12768617

16 March 2011
US cyber war defences 'very thin', Pentagon warns

US officials say government and private systems are attacked millions of times per day.

The US military lacks the people and resources to defend the country adequately from concerted cyber attacks, the head of the Pentagon's cyber command has warned.

"We are very thin, and a crisis would quickly stress our cyber forces," Gen Keith Alexander told Congress.

The US says government systems are attacked millions of times a day.

Disputes over budgets are holding up a new cyber protection system ordered by the Department of Homeland Security.

However, some argue the threat of cyber warfare is greatly exaggerated.

'Potential adversaries'
Gen Alexander, head of the US Defence Department's Cyber Command, told a Congressional Committee that he would mark as a "C" the military's ability to protect Pentagon networks, although he acknowledged improvements in recent years.

"We are finding that we do not have the capacity to do everything we need to accomplish. To put it bluntly, we are very thin, and a crisis would quickly stress our cyber forces," he said.

"We cannot afford to allow cyberspace to be a sanctuary where real and potential adversaries can marshal forces and capabilities to use against us and our allies. This is not a hypothetical danger."

US officials say cyber criminals, terrorists and other nations are getting better at penetrating state and private networks, whether to spy, to steal data or damage critical infrastructure.

But speaking last month, leading security expert Bruce Schneier told the BBC that the emotive rhetoric around "cyber warfare" did not match the reality.

"What we are seeing is not cyber war but an increasing use of war-like tactics and that is what is confusing us. We don't have good definitions of what cyber war is, what it looks like and how to fight it," Mr Schneier said

[Nevins]

I guess that the real question is to see how the US Cyber defenses stack up against other nations, but I don't really know how you could quantify something like this.

[Manco]

I guess that the real question is to see how the US Cyber defenses stack up against other nations, but I don't really know how you could quantify something like this.

Have one team do the exact same mock-attack against various countries. (though those countries would have to be pretty close allies, which still leaves the problem that close allies usually have similar technology and thus, you don't know how you measure against a non-friendly country.)

[Armenum]

I guess that the real question is to see how the US Cyber defenses stack up against other nations, but I don't really know how you could quantify something like this.

Especially countries such as China or Russia who are very formidable opponents in the cyber war.

So, should countries have in their Ministry of Defence, a sub division dedicated to cyber defence? Or maybe a whole ministry dedicated to the internet sphere.

[Bleda]

Especially countries such as China or Russia who are very formidable opponents in the cyber war.

So, should countries have in their Ministry of Defence, a sub division dedicated to cyber defence? Or maybe a whole ministry dedicated to the internet sphere.

A sub-division in a defense ministry would be ideal. It seems like this is the sort of thing you would approach with a scalpel as opposed to a machete. A ministry or department 'dedicated to the internet sphere' sounds a bit overreaching.

[Caelius]

Sounds like the Pentagon is trying the tried and true of method of getting more money for the moneypot from Congress.

[mrmouth]

Sounds like the Pentagon is trying the tried and true of method of getting more money for the moneypot from Congress.

That is all this is.

The media tries to paint pictures off nothing more than appropriation hearings.

[Muizer]

Sounds like the Pentagon is trying the tried and true of method of getting more money for the moneypot from Congress.

So is this part of the plan too?

Pentagon admits suffering major cyber attack in March

[mrmouth]

It is incredible the way they are packaging the response to the recent, and largest attack in the history of cyber espionage, by actually focusing more on the terrorism implications in needing to beef up security. If that isnt a money grab I dont know what is.

In reality this has very little to do with terrorism, and everything to do with cyber espionage. The US spending billions in R&D, and countries piggybacking the US like Russia made a life doing during the cold war.

[justicar5]

Kaspersky.

[Armenum]

Kaspersky.

That leaves a open door for the Russians

[Iustinianus]

My extremely limited knowledge of cyber defenses tells me that the reason that our defenses would get a C as the article states is because their is a huge advantage for the aggressive force. The defender has to protect everything, while the attacker can attack anywhere.

I wonder how other countries would compare in defense as well.

[Exarch]

another play for more money in this day and age of austerity measures?
yeh, works every time eh

[mw2xboxplayer]

The idea of 'virtual war' reminds me of a Star Trek episode, where two nations were at war and if a simulated person died; they were sent to a disintegration chamber IRL as a casualty of the war.

It is very possible that the control of information through technologies will be the new face of warfare. In the event there is a cyber-war, I would hope that my country would have taken the necessary precautions and prepared for such a war.

[removeduser_4536284751384]

Well the Iranian computers weren't even connected to the internet, so they were very well protected. The virus was brought in on a USB flash drive.

I'm sure a lot of US systems are less safe.

The idea of 'virtual war' reminds me of a Star Trek episode, where two nations were at war and if a simulated person died; they were sent to a disintegration chamber IRL as a casualty of the war.

Synopsis?

[Ahlerich]

just read today of the pentagon hack by a foreign country stealing 24000 documents roughly

[priam11]

How else can this not be a play for mo $$ from congress.

It is like the Americans saying to the world in 1941:

"Whoah, sure hope no one attacks Pearl Harbour and the surrounding airfields as we have just stacked all those neat shiney planes in one big mass. And I sure hope no one does this on a Sunday"

[Akar]

I can't believe their funding is so low after what Anonymous and Lulzsec have been doing. If a group of 6 people (Lulzsec) can cause so much chaos I'm afraid of what a concentrated effort by another nation could do. If the higher ups can't see that more funding and security is needed I don't know whats wrong with our government.

[Caelius]

Anyone notice the thread necro yet?

[Jagdpanzer]

Anyone notice the thread necro yet?

The new development is that the Pentagon admitted that they got hacked in March.