Crossroads Blog | Institute National Security and Counterterrorism

China, critical infrastructure, Cybersecurity, Cyberwar

Cyber Round Up: Who is China Really Hacking?; Pentagon Cyber Team Takes Major Operational Step; What a real cyber war would look like

  • Cyber warfare: Who is China hacking? (CNN):  An article from CNN analyzed the shifts in Chinese cyber warfare strategy.  As mentioned in the recent Presidential debate, China is always on the radar as a potential cyber adversary, the article notes.   The article quotes an official from FireEye as describing China’s cyber capacities as essentially another branch of the military.   Following a meeting with President Obama last year, Kristie Lu Stout says, China has chosen to adhere to a more rules-based policy with the West and focused its attacks on countries closer to home.  The full text of the article can be found here.
  • Pentagon’s 5,000-Strong Cyber Force Passes Key Operational Step (Bloomberg):   The Pentagon’s cybersecurity team has taken a big step in the right direction, Bloomberg Technology has said.   The article outlines the timeline and procedure for the development of the cyber team, noting that it will be “initially operational” by the end of this week.  While the squad will not be fully functional until 2018, Nafeesa Syeed writes, the centralized system will allow for a more streamlined and more effective strategy in attacking cyber adversaries.  The focus for now, according to the article, is on “the alligators closest to the boat.”  The full article can be found here.
  • What a real cyber war would look like (USA Today):  In a similar trend to the articles above with cybersecurity fresh on the media’s minds after the debate on Monday, a USA Today article discusses what cyber war may actually look like.  Elizabeth Weise says that people should not except a sci-fi Armageddon à la Star Trek.   One potential benefit of cyberwar is that it is more human and less expensive than armed attack, the article suggests, as the effects are reversible.  Attacks on critical infrastructure are a legitimate threat, but the article poses the idea that the U.S. is in a superior position to handle attacks of that nature.  The full text of the article can be found here.

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