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We’ve already seen a multitude of examples of computer “hackers,” some from distant locations, circumventing even the most sophisticated security techniques to gain access to protected portions of the information infrastructure. These miscreants have gained access to classified government information, sensitive business-related information, and customer and private information. Consequently, it’s not too farfetched to imagine existing or potential adversaries, in particular terrorists, recognizing this entire infrastructure being vulnerable to an attack that could cripple the nation economically and militarily. Why would an adversary chose this as a “weapon” ? Essentially, we’re considering an entirely new kind of warfare here. For lack of a better term, it’s been called “information warfare.” What makes this kind of warfare attractive to rogue leaders and nations includes the following:
Our growing national reliance on the information infrastructure creates an incredibly broad range of vulnerabilities not yet adequately considered or a matter for direct defensive action. Moreover, it may be extraordinarily challenging to implement a defensive posture without serious implications to commerce, business, and individual privacy. At the very least, it is essential we recognize this new threat to our well being to ensure action is taken to provide those measures of protection possible.
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Reflections & Opinion >
Opinion >
On Current Events
As
we face the another battlefield confrontation in
the Middle East arriving from the action of yet another demented
leader,
and reflect as we do, often, on the horror of 9.11.01,
it is prudent to consider the prospect of another kind of
threat
we face arriving from our dependency on computer
systems and the information revolution. Both our national
security resources
and economic endeavors are directly dependent on
computer systems and communications resources. All these assets
and
resources are daily becoming more densely and comprehensively
integrated, making it clear that while these technologies
afford us many benefits, the increasing dependency
raises an array of new vulnerabilities.
