ARE WE READY FOR CYBERWARFARE?

SUMMARY

      This is my summary of ARE WE READY FOR CYBERWARFARE most of us, the internet is a tool we use for e-mail,new, 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 poses 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 them to justice. Cyberwarfare can take many forms.State-backed cyber attacks are becoming far more common, and countries are struggling to cope. There have been notable cyber attacks involving states over the last few years. In 2007, Estonia suffered a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack that brought down crucial government servers and other national infrastructure.

     While a Moldovan student living in Tallinn ultimately admitted being behind the attack, the command and control servers used to carry it out were traced back to Russia, raising suspicions there were additional attackers operating from there. The fact that the country could have stepped in once this was discovered in order to end the attack, but chose not to and has refused to aid any criminal investigation by Estonia has led researchers to believe that, at the very least, the attackers were operating in Russian National interests, if not at the direct behest of the state.

    More recently, the United States accused Russia of tampering in the presidential election that saw Donald Trump elected. According to the US, Russian state-sponsored hackers launched a cyber attack on multiple Democratic Party organisations, supposedly with the aim of aiding Trump's campaign. A spokesman for Russian president Vladimir Putin, however, dismissed these accusations as "rubbish".

    North Korea has also been accused of a string of cyber attacks in the past. In 2015, the country allegedly launched an attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment, resulting in personal information about employees and their families being leaked. Much like Russia's reaction to the 2007 Estonia attack, North Korea's official news agency dismissed the claims as "wild rumours" but also said the attack "might be a righteous deed of the supporters and sympathizers with the DPRK in response to its appeal".

    As for these offensive measures, it’s unclear as to how strong the United States’ offensive capabilities for cyberwarfare are. The government closely guards this information, almost all of which is classified. But former military and intelligence officials indicate that our cyberwarfare capabilities have dramatically increased in sophistication in the past year or two. And because tracking cyber criminals has proven so difficult, it may be that the best defense is a strong offense.

CASE STUDY QUESTIONS AND ANSWER: 

1. ) IS CYBERWARFARE A SERIOUS PROBLEM? WHY OR WHY NOT? 

- CYBERWARFARE is a serious problem that should be Addressed. With technology being utilized world wide to control missiles and warfare, having a cyber threat is as serious if not more serious than a physical threat. CYBERWARFARE can also act as a catalyst and induce an all out strike of terror on other countries. 

2.) ASSESS THE MANAGEMENT, ORGANIZATION, AND TECHNOLOGY FACTORS THAT HAVE CREATED THIS PROBLEM? 

- From management standpoint, until recently there hasn’t been an increase focus on ensuring that policies are in place to prevent cyberwarfare attacks from occurring in an organization. An increased focus has to be in place to prevent this. The organization is left vulnerable and potential physical harm to users and workers becomes a social issue that has to be addressed by the organization. The advancement of technology and being readily available to the public has made cyberwarfare more likely to occur. Technology has made this problem much more relevant and will only make it worse based on where technology is leading us. 

3.) WHAT SOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN PROPOSED? DO YOU THINK THEY WILL BE EFFECTIVE? WHY OR WHY NOT? 

- Several different agencies, including the Pentagon and the National Security Agency (NSA), have their sights on being the leading agency in the ongoing efforts to combat cyberwarfare. The first headquarters designed to coordinate government cybersecurity efforts, called cybercom, was activated in May 2010 in the hope of resolving this organizational tangle. In May 2011 President Barack Obama signed executive orders weaving cyber capabilities into U.S military strategy. I believe this will have very little effectiveness. The The best way to prevent these problems would be to decrease the reliance of technology and revert to keeping vital information and controls to a bare minimum. 

4.)ARE THERE OTHER SOLUTIONS FOR THIS PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE PURSUED? WHAT ARE THEY?

- Security procedures, screenings, and interviews of international travelers to the United States have increased. All these activities have resulted in interminable delays for many travelers. Some have experienced perceived harassment or violations of their rights. Many travelers naturally want to know what their rights are at checkpoints and screenings after 9/11 as well as what they can do to obtain redress for the violation of these rights.