The
Cyberwarfare was a unique and daunting set of challenges for security experts;
not only in detecting and preventing intrusions but also in tracking down
perpetrators and bringing those to justice and can take many forms just like
for most of us, the Internet for a tool we use for e-mail, news, entertainment,
socializing, and shopping. But for computer security experts affiliated with
government agencies and private contractors, as well as their hacker
counterparts from across the globe, the Internet has become a battlefield—a war
zone where cyberwarfare is becoming more frequent and hacking techniques are
becoming more advanced. Cyberwarfare also involves defending against these
types of attacks. The lone positive from the attacks was that only the Web
sites of these agencies were affected. However, other intrusions suggest that
hackers already have the potential for much more damaging acts of cyberwarfare.
As of this writing, most federal agencies get passing marks for meeting the
requirements of the Federal Information Security Management Act, the most
recent set of standards passed into law. But as cyberwarfare technologies
develop and become more advanced, the standards imposed by this legislation
will likely be insufficient to defend against attacks. In each incident of
cyberwarfare, the governments of the countries suspected to be responsible have
roundly denied the charges with no repercussions. The real worry for security
experts and government officials is an act of cyberwarfare against a critical
resource, such as the electric grid, financial system, or communications
systems. And because tracking cybercriminals has proven so difficult, it may be
that the best defense suggest is a strong offense.
CASE
STUDY QUESTIONS
1.
Is cyberwarfare a serious problem? Why or why not?
· A
cybewarfare is a serious problem it is because when a cyberwarfare technologies
develop and become more advanced, the standards imposed by this legislation will
likely be insufficient to defend against attacks and an act of cyberwarfare
against a critical resource such as the electric grid, financial system, or
communication systems would likely be devastating.
2.
Assess the management, organization, and
technology factors that have created this problem.
· In
management for cybercriminals, the benefit of cyberwarfare is that they can
compete with traditional superpowers for a fraction of the cost of other types
of warfare because more and more modern technological infrastructure will rely
on the Internet to function and the cyberwarriors will have no shortage of
targets at which to take aim. In an Organization, the U.S. has no clear policy
about how the country would respond to a catastrophic level of a cyber attack
even though the U.S. Congress is considering legislation to toughen cyber
security standards, the standards will likely be insufficient to defend against
attacks. Lastly, in technology while the U.S. is currently at the forefront of
cyberwarfare technologies, it’s unlikely to maintain technological dominance
because of the relatively low cost of the technologies needed to mount these
types of attacks in secret surveillance software that can be installed on
unprotected systems and can access files and e-mail thus spreading itself to
other systems.
3.
What solutions have been proposed? Do you think they will be effective? Why or
why not?
The
solution that have been proposed was the Stuxnet which different from other
cyberwarfare attack it is because Stuxnet the software uses previously unknown
tricks to worm its way into industrial control systems undetected, searching
for a particular configuration that matches its target—at which point it wreaks
havoc by reprogramming the system, closing valves and shutting down pipelines. Its
sophistication suggests that it is the work of a well-financed team working for
a government, rather than a group of rogue hackers trying to steal secrets or
cause trouble.
4.
Are there other solutions for this problem that should be pursued? What are
they?
Proposed solutions include the following along with
an assessment of their effectiveness:
·
Secretary of Defense Gates ordered the creation of Cybercom, the first
headquarters designed to coordinate government cyber security efforts. It will
coordinate the operation and protection of military and Pentagon computer
networks and efforts to restrict access to government computers and protect
systems that run the stock exchanges, clear global banking transactions, and
manage the air traffic control system. Its ultimate goal will be to prevent
catastrophic cyber attacks.
