http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/28/opinion/preparing-for-warfare-in-cyberspace.html
By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
The New York Times
APRIL 28, 2015
The Pentagon’s new 33-page cybersecurity strategy is an important
evolution in how America proposes to address a top national security
threat. It is intended to warn adversaries — especially China, Russia,
Iran and North Korea — that the United States is prepared to retaliate, if
necessary, against cyberattacks and is developing the weapons to do so.
As The Times recently reported, Russian hackers swept up some of President
Obama’s email correspondence last year. Although the breach apparently
affected only the White House’s unclassified computers, it was more
intrusive and worrisome than publicly acknowledged and is a chilling
example of how determined adversaries can penetrate the government system.
The United States’ cybersecurity efforts have typically focused on
defending computer networks against hackers, criminals and foreign
governments. Playing defense is still important, and the Obama
administration has started to push Silicon Valley’s software companies to
join in that fight. But the focus has shifted to developing the malware
and other technologies that would give the United States offensive weapons
should circumstances require disrupting an adversary’s network.
The strategy document provides some overdue transparency about a military
program that is expected to increase to 6,200 workers in a few years and
costs billions of dollars annually. Officials apparently hope talking more
openly about America’s plans will deter adversaries who view cyberattacks
as a cheap way to gather intelligence from more destructive operations.
[...]
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