The mother country of the Internet faces the risks and attacks this revolutionary tool has generated. For the United States to protect the country against the potential lethal dangers of new technologies and the malicious uses of an instrument initially designed for communication, the focus needs to be on education, research and development. They are the last true competitive advantages the United States has over the rest of the world.
What lies behind the US Cyber security strategy is a complex understanding of the new security threats of the 21st Century. It is not cyberspace itself that we should be afraid of, it is what that platform allows to do that is extremely dangerous and worrying. A modern form of offense, cyber crime can have fatal offline consequences.
Cyberspace is made of several hundreds of thousands of computers, routers, servers, fiber optic cables and switches, which allow all of U.S. infrastructures to work properly and efficiently.
From hacking into bank accounts, paralyzing business in a company or stealing data from government agencies to broader criminal attacks threatening the entire U.S. economy and national security, cyber crime is now becoming more appealing than other criminal activities such as drug trafficking or human trafficking because of its rising financial gain and the difficulty to authenticate the authors of cyber crimes.
The possible infrastructure damage is also incredible. National and critical infrastructures, be they private or public, in all possible sectors, are constantly facing the risk of a cyber attack which could paralyze the entire country.
In April 2009, cyber spies infiltrated the US electricity grid and implanted software that could be used to disturb the system in a crisis or if a conflict were to occur. If no damage was done then, the software programs could help navigate the system from afar and damage the electricity grid by destroying some of its key components. Such intrusions are growing and being monitored by U.S. intelligence and the U.S. Cyber Command, which is part of the Department of Defense and should be fully operational in October 2011. These attacks are not exclusive to the United States, but failure to control them would reveal a lack of understanding of these threats and an inability to adapt to the risks new technologies have generated with their widespread use.
Along with attempting to protect American infrastructures from cyber attacks, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible sometimes, to find the origin of the attacks. Locating a single individual committing a cyber attack truly illustrates the old saying of trying to find a needle in a haystack. Even if the several countries through which an attack is operated can be easily spotted, once the country of origin is found, how can the law be applied? And should it be international or national sanctions? Who has jurisdiction when States don’t play fairly?
Experts are currently debating those issues, which are incredibly delicate given their obvious link with civil liberties, the right to privacy and the freedom of the Internet. The United States needs to be particularly careful in the way these issues will be addressed in attempting to protect American infrastructures. In a globally competitive market, the only way for the United States to stay on top of their game is to be at the forefront of research and development in promoting freedom and yet protecting Americans and the homeland.
However it is very much a question of defense rather than freedom. In the age of globalized terrorism, the United States constantly strives to take defense to the next level. The 9/11 attacks were prepared online, using encryption on websites. U.S. intelligence has not forgotten and is heavily investing in cybersecurity exercises, predictions and risk assessments.
The National Cyber Security Division of the Department of Homeland Security has already conducted two national exercises called “Cyber Storm” I and II, respectively in 2006 and 2009. Like every exercise, it helped uncover American vulnerabilities in the response that can be provided in case of an attack and it contributed in setting up international cooperation with allies in Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia. Several departments and agencies were involved and such training is as common as it is essential for preparedness.
The exercise was part of a wider effort to protect the American cyber infrastructure. The National Cyber Security Division of DHS has two main goals: “To build and maintain an effective national cyberspace response system and to implement a cyber-risk management program for protection of critical infrastructure.” Like many other countries, the United States has to protect itself on a daily basis against thousands of intrusions and attacks against public and private institutions. A ‘National Vulnerability Database’ was created to record attacks and intrusions for analysis.
China and Russia would appear to be the most likely countries to attempt an infiltration into American infrastructures, but attacks on an individual basis also need to be monitored. Nevertheless, although U.S. government agencies only advertise about defensive measures against cybercrime, they are also major players in cyberwarfare. The StuxNet virus that disrupted computers in an Iranian nuclear facility was reported to be from an Israeli or American operated source. Further, with a growing China barely respectful of intellectual property, the United States has an important stake in monitoring activities. The ‘Enduring Security Framework’ is a partnership between government agencies and private technology and science companies. They meet regularly to cooperate on how to address cyber threats.
With global and 24 hour communication and connection, the digitalization of international affairs changes the dynamics of State-to-State interactions and the distribution of power. Numerous non-State actors now have more of a stake in State behavior and actions than they ever did. Cybersecurity and cyberwarfare may be the new most important reality of state relations for the 21st Century, and we are only beginning to grasp the potential ramifications of a globally connected planet.
Go Further:
- Lynn III, William J. "Defending a New Domain." Foreign Affairs. Sept.-Oct. 2010. Web. Accessed 02 Mar. 2011.
- "Cybersecurity and Cyber Freedom: The Future of Digital Surveillance Technology." Brookings Institution. Web. Accessed 02 Mar. 2011.
- "DHS | National Cyber Security Division." Department of Homeland Security. Web. Accessed 02 Mar. 2011.
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