Cyber Security and Cyber Weapons
“Securing a computer system has traditionally been a battle of wits: the penetrator tries to find the holes, and the designer tries to close them.” ~Gosser
Warfare has always been a game of cat and mouse. As technology increases war has to adapt with it. Wars have evolved from a contest of strength to a show of potential. Previously wars were fought with large armies and whomever could most effectively utilize the most troops with better training won; now however, a single person with a nuclear bomb can destroy a city within seconds. In the 1980s, a new technology appeared: the internet. At first the internet was just a way for people to communicate by sending text files to each other. Soon however the internet became a public place to store and access information. As more and more personal and classified information gets stored, it is only natural that people try to find a way to steal information for their own benefits. Cyber skirmishes are right now being fought online to get more information. Bruce Berkowitz said: “The ability to collect, communicate, process, and protect information is the most important factor defining military power.” Berkowitz argues that weaponry and manpower that used to be the main determining factor of wars will lose out to the amount of information that a country has. Knowing where the enemies have grouped their troops/weapons will allow a guided missiles and unmanned drones to wreak havoc. Cheap cyber weapons such as worms and trojans (viruses) can neutralize conventional
2
weapons as missiles and nukes1.
According to the Department of Homeland Security: “Our daily life, economic vitality, and national security depend on a stable, safe, and resilient cyberspace. We rely on this vast array of networks to communicate and travel, power our homes, run our economy, and provide government services. Yet cyber intrusions and attacks have increased dramatically over the last decade, exposing sensitive personal and
Warfare has always been a game of cat and mouse. As technology increases war has to adapt with it. Wars have evolved from a contest of strength to a show of potential. Previously wars were fought with large armies and whomever could most effectively utilize the most troops with better training won; now however, a single person with a nuclear bomb can destroy a city within seconds. In the 1980s, a new technology appeared: the internet. At first the internet was just a way for people to communicate by sending text files to each other. Soon however the internet became a public place to store and access information. As more and more personal and classified information gets stored, it is only natural that people try to find a way to steal information for their own benefits. Cyber skirmishes are right now being fought online to get more information. Bruce Berkowitz said: “The ability to collect, communicate, process, and protect information is the most important factor defining military power.” Berkowitz argues that weaponry and manpower that used to be the main determining factor of wars will lose out to the amount of information that a country has. Knowing where the enemies have grouped their troops/weapons will allow a guided missiles and unmanned drones to wreak havoc. Cheap cyber weapons such as worms and trojans (viruses) can neutralize conventional
2
weapons as missiles and nukes1.
According to the Department of Homeland Security: “Our daily life, economic vitality, and national security depend on a stable, safe, and resilient cyberspace. We rely on this vast array of networks to communicate and travel, power our homes, run our economy, and provide government services. Yet cyber intrusions and attacks have increased dramatically over the last decade, exposing sensitive personal and