THE SECRET WAR

ALERT!! READ THIS POST AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Threats facing the United States and the global world of the near future:

The over dependency on technology and abundance of information obtained by private firms vs. the ability of the United States to maintain the security of its citizens and its’ secrets from non-state actors and other Governments who can purchase information from these businesses.

Remember the phrase, "Big Brother, Big Business"

America is now in a digital era: The majority of transactions are done electronically, the entire economy is digitized, the U.S. is increasingly digitizing documents and correspondence, car manufactures and mortgage companies compile data on record levels.

Private firms are collecting more and more data from multiple areas of the private and governmental sector. They are motivated by profit and are not as liable for security nor interested, for the most part, in the protection of this data at the level the government is.

The ability of non-governmental actors to use technology to thwart U.S. interests domestically and abroad will surely increase as it is a means that has yet to be fully realized as a target.

China is already involved in massive technological attacks against other countries such as Japan and the U.S.. Chinese hackers have even shut down the Japanese economy in recent attacks(RED HACKER’S ALLIANCE). More to come...

According to the AFP, this May, Chinese hackers have attacked over 1000 U.S. websites in what was called a “cyber-war”, in response to the US spy plane stuck on southern Hainan island after a mid-air collision with a Chinese jet. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

Imagine if the NYSE was shut down by foreign hackers trained in the U.S. and employed by an organization like Al Qaeda or a country such as IRAN. CYBER-MERCENARIES...

Warnings of cyberwarfare and cyberterrorism have fallen on deaf ears, mostly because there's yet to be a publicized coordinated attack that causes significant damage to critical infrastructure or economic targets This is exactly what happened before Sept. 11th as the government did not act quickly enough for how large and imminent the threat actually was.

There is a growing list of cyberwars currently happening: Israelis and Palestinians attack each other's Web sites and critical nodes. India and Pakistan frequently exchange digital fire. Chechen rebels throw cyberbombs at their Russian rulers. China routinely spars with its neighbors Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. The U.S. is both attacked by and attacks multiple entities around the world, including some of it's allies. And the list goes on.

The CIA and other government agencies are warning against the increased threat of terrorism, but neither the National Infrastructure Protection Center nor the White House's Office of Homeland Security would comment on the issues of the cyberwar threat.

Civilian targets are more vulnerable and tempting for hackers, especially since most of the nation's critical infrastructure is privately controlled. Utilities (power, water, communications), transportation and commercial supply chains are all operated and secured by private corporations.

State-sponsored cyberwar is only part of the threat, says Tom Kellerman, a data risk specialist at the World Bank's Financial Strategy and Policy Sector. Hostilities in the Middle East could inspire hacker and organized crime groups to infiltrate U.S. government and corporate networks. Also, hostile nation-states might test U.S. cyberdefenses...

Shall I go on?
Now that you have been breifed on the threats of our digital world, read the other articles by Eric M. Rosenberg and keep checking the weekly roost for more... You have been warned. Now get informed.
-THE ROOSTER