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story category Uncle Sam Prepping 'Cyber Fighters'
For reaction to massive Internet infrastructure attack
(old news - 09:07AM Friday Feb 09 2007)
tags: security · Oddities
So what happens when the United States finds itself at the mercy of a massive cyber attack? They attack back, obviously. "The Department of Defense is prepared, based on the authority of the President, to launch a cyber counterattack or an actual bombing of an attack source," reports Network World. Analysis falls on the shoulders of the National Cyber Response Coordination Group (NCRCG), but the Air Force is preparing to fight in cyberspace by creating a new Cyber Command. "We’re standing up cyber-fighters to do network warfare," says an Air Force R&D engineer. "Where we had pilots before, we’ll have fighters in cyberspace."

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Forums » Uncle Sam Prepping 'Cyber Fighters'
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halfband
Premium
join:2002-06-01
Huntsville, AL

Sounds like the plot to a movie

I think I saw this one.

Dryv1yne

@rr.com

from:
antdude See Profile

Re: Sounds like the plot to a movie

Hmm, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines rings a bell to me. I hope the system doesn't become self-aware and kill us all!

kyramilan

join:2006-11-26
Pensacola, FL
Funny, wasn't one of the Homeland Security bigwigs arrested for soliciting a 15 year old girl?

Who is going to watch the cop creeps?
moonpuppy

join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD
·Verizon Online DSL

Hope they don't take the advice of the RIAA....

We all know how good their IP trackers are.

This is going to require people who think way outside the government box.

inteller
Sociopaths always win.

join:2003-12-08
Tulsa, OK

actual bombing much more efficient.

hackers really hate EMP weapons.
nokiatech

join:2000-10-18
Stuart, FL

That's a lot of bombs....

Since most of these attacks originate from networks of "zombie computers" that have been hijacked it's going to take an awful lot of bombs to blow up the houses of all those private computers.

deadi
Premium
join:2001-08-26
Perry, OH


1 edit

Re: That's a lot of bombs....

My thoughts exact. Also they are also most likely unaware that there computer has been hijacked. I didnt read the article, but I hope it is just the quotes taken out of context. I dont think anyone in there right mind would use that kind of force that way......
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said by nokiatech See Profile :

Since most of these attacks originate from networks of "zombie computers" that have been hijacked it's going to take an awful lot of bombs to blow up the houses of all those private computers.
Bombs would be too destructive. They'll launch whipped cream pies out of each monitor.
--
Sure, that'll work..

John Galt
Forward, March
Premium
join:2004-09-30
Happy Camp
·CenturyLink

said by nokiatech See Profile :

Since most of these attacks originate from networks of "zombie computers" that have been hijacked it's going to take an awful lot of bombs to blow up the houses of all those private computers.
Actually, do a Google search on "EMP attack"...



Iran Military Journal Eyes Nuclear EMP Attack on U.S.

High-altitude missile detonation could be launched from ship, warn top scientists

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: April 29, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern

By Joseph Farah
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

WASHINGTON – In the latest evidence Iran is seriously planning an unconventional pre-emptive nuclear strike against the U.S., an Iranian military journal has publicly considered the idea of launching an electromagnetic pulse attack as the key to defeating the world's lone superpower.

Congress was warned of Iran's plans last month by Peter Pry, a senior staffer with the Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse Attack in a hearing of Sen. John Kyl's subcommittee on terrorism, technology and homeland security.

In an article titled, "Electronics to Determine Fate of Future Wars," the journal explains how an EMP attack on America's electronic infrastructure, caused by the detonation of a nuclear weapon high above the U.S., would bring the country to its knees.

"Once you confuse the enemy communication network you can also disrupt the work of the enemy command- and decision-making center," the article states. "Even worse today when you disable a country's military high command through disruption of communications, you will, in effect, disrupt all the affairs of that country. If the world's industrial countries fail to devise effective ways to defend themselves against dangerous electronic assaults then they will disintegrate within a few years. American soldiers would not be able to find food to eat nor would they be able to fire a single shot."

WND reported the Iranian threat last Monday, explaining Tehran is not only covertly developing nuclear weapons, it is already testing ballistic missiles specifically designed to destroy America's technical infrastructure. The report was published first in Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin, a premium, online intelligence newsletter by WND's founder.

Pry pointed out the Iranians have been testing mid-air detonations of their Shahab-3 medium-range missile over the Caspian Sea. The missiles were fired from ships.

"A nuclear missile concealed in the hold of a freighter would give Iran or terrorists the capability to perform an EMP attack against the United States homeland without developing an ICBM and with some prospect of remaining anonymous," explained Pry. "Iran's Shahab-3 medium range missile mentioned earlier is a mobile missile and small enough to be transported in the hold of a freighter. We cannot rule out that Iran, the world's leading sponsor of international terrorism might provide terrorists with the means to executive an EMP attack against the United States."

Lowell Wood, acting chairman of the commission, said yesterday that such an attack – by Iran or some other actor – could cripple the U.S. by knocking out electrical power, computers, circuit boards controlling most automobiles and trucks, banking systems, communications and food and water supplies.

"No one can say just how long systems would be down," he said. "It could be weeks, months or even years."

EMP attacks are generated when a nuclear weapon is detonated at altitudes above a few dozen kilometers above the earth's surface. The explosion, of even a small nuclear warhead, would produce a set of electromagnetic pulses that interact with the earth's atmosphere and the earth's magnetic field.

"These electromagnetic pulses propagate from the burst point of the nuclear weapon to the line of sight on the earth's horizon, potentially covering a vast geographic region in doing so simultaneously, moreover, at the speed of light," said Wood. "For example, a nuclear weapon detonated at an altitude of 400 kilometers over the central United States would cover, with its primary electromagnetic pulse, the entire continent of the United States and parts of Canada and Mexico."

The commission, in its work over a period of several years, found that EMP is one of a small number of threats that has the potential to hold American society seriously at risk and that might also result in the defeat of U.S. military forces.

"The electromagnetic field pulses produced by weapons designed and deployed with the intent to produce EMP have a high likelihood of damaging electrical power systems, electronics and information systems upon which any reasonably advanced society, most specifically including our own, depend vitally," Wood said. "Their effects on systems and infrastructures dependent on electricity and electronics could be sufficiently ruinous as to qualify as catastrophic to the American nation."

Wood warned of the potential for unprecedented cascading failures of major electronic and electrical infrastructures.

"In such events, a regional or national recovery would be long and difficult and would seriously degrade the overall viability of the American nation and the safety and even the lives of very large numbers of U.S. citizens," he said.

Strategic EMP attacks on the U.S. have also been considered and discussed recently by China and post-Soviet Union Russia, according to the commission. Yet, the more imminent threat, according to William R. Graham, former chairman of the commission, and Wood, comes from rogue states such as Iran and North Korea and their terrorist allies.

"The current vulnerability of critical U.S. infrastructures can both invite and reward such attacks if not corrected," Wood said. "I might add that extreme, sustained vulnerability entices such attack. However, correction is feasible and well within the nation's tactical means and material resources to accomplish. Most critical infrastructure vulnerabilities can be reduced below those levels that potentially invite attempts to create a national catastrophe. By protecting key elements in each critical infrastructure and by preparing to recover essential services, the prospects for a terrorist of rogue state being to impose large-scale, long-term damage on the United States could be minimized."

The commission estimated that major corrections could be made in the next three to five years that would greatly reduce America's vulnerability to an EMP attack. There is concern within the commission, however, that the EMP threat is not being taken seriously by the Department of Homeland Security.

Peter Fonash, acting deputy manager for the National Communications System in the Department of Homeland Security, said the agency has "determined that there is minimal EMP effect."

While the Department of Defense has received briefings from the commission at the highest levels, DHS has not, say commission members.

"We haven't had equivalent briefings like that with the Department of Homeland Security yet," said Pry at last month's congressional hearing.

Since there has never been a large-scale EMP attack anywhere in the world to evaluate, the assessments are based on extrapolation of available data gathered from small-scale nuclear experiments.

Wood said an actual EMP attack on the United States minimally would result in $20 billion in damages, no loss of life and just a great deal of inconvenience. However, on the other end of the scale, it could "literally destroy the American nation and might cause the deaths of 90 percent of its people and set us back a century or more in time as far as our ability to function as a society."

Wood agreed with Graham, who said he could think of no other reason Iran would be experimenting with high-altitude detonations of missiles besides planning for an EMP attack.

Jerome Corsi, author of "Atomic Iran," told WorldNetDaily the new findings about Iran's electromagnetic pulse experiments significantly raise the stakes of the mullah regime's bid to become a nuclear power.

"Up until now, I believed the nuclear threat to the U.S. from Iran was limited to the ability of terrorists to penetrate the borders or port security to deliver a device to a major city," he said. "While that threat should continue to be a grave concern for every American, these tests by Iran demonstrate just how devious the fanatical mullahs in Tehran are. We are facing a clever and unscrupulous adversary in Iran that could bring America to its knees."

The commission said hardening key infrastructure systems and procuring vital backup equipment such as transformers is both feasible and – compared with the threat – relatively inexpensive.
--
A is A

inteller
Sociopaths always win.

join:2003-12-08
Tulsa, OK

Re: That's a lot of bombs....

our nuke silos were developed in the days of largely analog technology.

we have subs with nukes in unknown locations. Iran wouldn't have a chance to take advantage of their little disruption because they would be too busy selling all the glass we just made for them.
keyboard5684

join:2001-08-01
Youngsville, PA
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I do not think Iran has the ability to produce a nuclear detonation 400 kilometers over the US that would be powerful enough to generate an EMP that would be able to disrupt to much.

The whole "document" is a little overblown.

Even if Iran was able to do so, they would get one off and the country would be completely destroyed in less than 12 minutes. Nuke by proxy really is not going to work either, just delay the amount of time it takes us to destroy Iran. We can certainly determine where the weapon came from simply by looking at its radioactive properties after a blast.

An EMP pulse will not take out as much as you may think. The whole idea of everything just stopping because of an EMP is a little too tin foil hat. Lightning hitting a transformer is a good example. The cars all on the street will still run, your watch will still work, but your PC may get damaged, maybe.

You would have to have a lot of detonations to knock out the entire country. Plus, the US military, I believe the first to actually ever use an EMP weapon, has long been prepared for this probably even before the development of nuclear weapons.

So, to end a long reply to a long unnecessary post (you could have just put a link to the article) no country in the world would use a nuclear weapon on the US unless they were ready for total destruction. Terrorist could but it would certainly be linked to a country and the US would wipe it out. You thought we were pissed by 9/11? Detonate a nuke and see what kind of wrath follows that.
EngineerDave

join:2001-08-27
Hattiesburg, MS
Wow, it's great that the Dems want to "redeploy" our forces to Okinawa. I hate to say it but I think Iran needs to be dealt with before they make any more progress with their nuclear weapons program.

Titus Pullo
I came, I saw, I slept

join:2004-06-26
·Embarq

The parade

of government morons never ends ...

"Where we had pilots before, we’ll have fighters in cyberspace."

Who writes this talking-point crap? Societies of the past would've thrown them to the lions.

In any event, 'CyberFighters', watch your wingtips on those 'tubes'
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mr anon

@il.us

from:
dadkins See Profile

Get 9!

Does this mean the US is going to make their own section9? If so can I meet the major?

Refference
»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_in_the_shell
thebulldan

join:2005-06-13
Bridgeport, PA

Re: Get 9!

Great reference!

fireflier
Coffee. . .Need Coffee
Premium
join:2001-05-25
Limbo
Same here, I wanna work for that group! I've been watching this series for a couple of years (Cartoon network carries it late at night seasonally). Motoko == wickedly baberiffic!
deepblackmag

join:2004-12-27
00000
go back to 4chan.

Jon
Premium
join:2001-01-20
Lisle, IL

So now what....

Rights / Liberties will they be trying to take away in the name of Anti-Cyber Terrorism?
rmdir

join:2003-03-13
Chicago, IL

Plug 'em up

All they have to do is stick corks in the ends of the tubes that comprise the Internet to stop the hackers. The tubes will get full and the attacks will be stopped.

DownTheShore
Maddie Knows Poopie
Premium
join:2003-12-02
Beautiful NJ
clubs:

Re: Plug 'em up

said by rmdir See Profile :

All they have to do is stick corks in the ends of the tubes that comprise the Internet to stop the hackers. The tubes will get full and the attacks will be stopped.
ROFL - That'll stop them, for sure!
--
Life is simply one damned thing after another.

Boogeyman
Drive it like you stole it
Premium
join:2002-12-17
Huntsville, AL

Re: Plug 'em up

Untill the pipe bursts and spews un routed data everywhere...

DownTheShore
Maddie Knows Poopie
Premium
join:2003-12-02
Beautiful NJ
clubs:

Re: Plug 'em up

said by Boogeyman See Profile :

Untill the pipe bursts and spews un routed data everywhere...
Run away! Run away!!!
--
Life is simply one damned thing after another.
Axekick

join:2005-05-01
Saint Louis, MO
ROFLMAO
jester121
Premium
join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL
They can call Algore, he has root.

TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
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Avalon, NJ
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast

If the US is cyberattacked; all the whiners wiil want to ...

... know what the US government is doing about it. They make jokes now and act like an attack isn't possible, but will be demanding the gov't do something when they lose access to their free porn.
--
--
My BLOG
My Web Page

manfmmd
Premium
join:2003-01-14
Earth
clubs:

Re: If the US is cyberattacked; all the whiners wiil want to ...

[sarcasm]
They're infringing on our rights.
We're attacked
The government did nothing to protect us.
Investigate.
Implement new policy.
They're infringing on our rights.
.
.
.
[/sarcasm]

Ah, the vicious circle.
--
huh? | AIM | Speaker Pelosi?!?...OH THE HUMANITY!

nixen
Rockin' the Boxen
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said by TKJunkMail See Profile :

... know what the US government is doing about it. They make jokes now and act like an attack isn't possible, but will be demanding the gov't do something when they lose access to their free porn.
Possible? You act like this is some future scenario. You can't be that stupid. These attacks happen every single freaking day. "Examples," you ask? How about the recent DoS attempts on the root name servers - of which, one site was DoD controlled.

-tom
--
"Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the government's purposes are beneficial. The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well meaning but without understanding." -Louis D Brandeis

TKJunkMail
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1 edit

Re: If the US is cyberattacked; all the whiners wiil want to ...

said by nixen See Profile :

said by TKJunkMail See Profile :... know what the US government is doing about it. They make jokes now and act like an attack isn't possible, but will be demanding the gov't do something when they lose access to their free porn.
Possible? You act like this is some future scenario. These attacks happen every single freaking day. Examples," you ask? How about the recent DoS attempts on the root name servers - of which, one site was DoD controlled.
The attacks to date were mere annoyances compared to a "hostile government" backed all out attack designed to cripple the internet and block all electronic commerce. And that is what a US defense group would be concerned with.
--
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My Web Page

nixen
Rockin' the Boxen
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·Speakeasy

Re: If the US is cyberattacked; all the whiners wiil want to ...

said by TKJunkMail See Profile :

said by nixen See Profile :

said by TKJunkMail See Profile :... know what the US government is doing about it. They make jokes now and act like an attack isn't possible, but will be demanding the gov't do something when they lose access to their free porn.
Possible? You act like this is some future scenario. These attacks happen every single freaking day. Examples," you ask? How about the recent DoS attempts on the root name servers - of which, one site was DoD controlled.
The attacks to date were mere annoyances compared to a "hostile government" backed all out attack designed to cripple the internet and block all electronic commerce. And that is what a US defense group would be concerned with.
And tell me oh great sage, how is an all out attack going to take out the entirety of a distributed network of networks? And just what, precisely, will our illustrious cyberwarriors be able to do about it?

Damn... Which are you: big business's or big brother's bitch-boy? Oh, wait, I forgot: government is essentially owned by the highest bidder. Government and big business are, essentially, one in the same, so you don't have to decide whose mouthpiece to be.

-tom
--
"Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the government's purposes are beneficial. The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well meaning but without understanding." -Louis D Brandeis
bmn
? ? ?
Premium,ExMod 2003-06
join:2001-03-15
hiatus

Considering its not the governments job to be protecting the private internet infrastructure, of course they should be doing nothing about it. Maybe when the government can get something above a grade a C on its own year review of systems and network security at the various agency should they be allowed anywhere near protecting private internet infrastructure. Frankly, the private sector has made out quite well.
--
Prove it...

joako
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·AT&T U-Verse

Re: If the US is cyberattacked; all the whiners wiil want to ...

said by bmn See Profile :

Considering its not the governments job to be protecting the private internet infrastructure, of course they should be doing nothing about it. Maybe when the government can get something above a grade a C on its own year review of systems and network security at the various agency should they be allowed anywhere near protecting private internet infrastructure. Frankly, the private sector has made out quite well.
So if a terrorist attacks some other type of infrastructre, say our air or rail transport system -- it should be up to the private sector to defend against said attacks?
--
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bmn
? ? ?
Premium,ExMod 2003-06
join:2001-03-15
hiatus

Re: If the US is cyberattacked; all the whiners wiil want to ...

said by joako See Profile :

So if a terrorist attacks some other type of infrastructre, say our air or rail transport system -- it should be up to the private sector to defend against said attacks?
There's actual legal precedent for the government to be involved there. For example, the FAA controls the skies, so clearly its a federal issue.
--
Prove it...

AnonDOG

@kaballero.com

quote:
...
Frankly, the private sector has made out quite well.
...

There are lots of ways to attack/exploit the infrastructure. I don't think the private sector has been even remotely as secure as you do.

»www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=st···e+Search

fireflier
Coffee. . .Need Coffee
Premium
join:2001-05-25
Limbo

Virtually certain?

Will they be using virtual bombs?

guitarzan
Premium
join:2004-05-04
Skytop, PA
·epix

Re: Virtually certain?

said by fireflier See Profile :

Will they be using virtual bombs?
Yes laser guided virtual smart bombs.

While the fios fired bombs will be extremely fast, efficient and accurate.
Those dependent upon copper and coax, will be noticeably slower and run the risk of not only getting re-routed down the wrong tube, but could in fact explode upon impacting a clogged tube.

Wiping out thousands of friendly dump trucks. Resulting in massive router casualties, increasing the odds of breaking the "backbone".

Ted Stevens: We sent one one Monday and it didn't explode until Thursday, because....We know the rest of the story.
--
Its the Democrats fault. In fact it is the Speaker of House Polosi fault. Everything is the Democrats fault. Everything. Just like Everything was the Republicans Fault when they were in power.

Titus Pullo
I came, I saw, I slept

join:2004-06-26
·Embarq

Re: Virtually certain?

Quite true. And the insidious Comcast bombs, travelling in $99 'bundles', will move very fast at first, then slow to a crawl (like fleas in your boxers) as the bundled insanity is routed through call center after call center until morphing into a cluster of silver goo that must commit suicide in response to the sheer absurdity of a mankind that believes the dog and pony show corporations parade in the form of politicians and democracy for their utter befuddlement and eventual ruin.

Longer sentences upon request
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guitarzan
Premium
join:2004-05-04
Skytop, PA

Re: Virtually certain?

ROFLMFAO, I forgot about those $99 'bundles'

Air Power

@af.mil
You mean like logic bombs? Sure.

Michieru2
zzz zzz zzz
Premium
join:2005-01-28
Miami, FL

man..

The United States will never find itself at the mercy of a massive cyber attack unless they found a serious flaw that could literally damage the hardware of the machine on the other side causing a datacenter go on fire, etc.

Much data will be transmitted congesting the networks of private corporations causing an IT chaos but that simply applies to computer's connected to the internet. A system that is within itself and not connected to the global IP network will have nothing to worry about remote attacks and more about attacks within it's local network.

Stop trying to scare the sheep so then the government will invest hazard cash on companies like Cisco on shit they don't need.

Air Power

@af.mil

Re: man..

So government's infrastructure shouldn't be protected...only corporate networks and your Speakeasy connection?

guitarzan
Premium
join:2004-05-04
Skytop, PA
·epix

Darn it, an anon. source must have leaked out sensitive or classified proof, proving Bin Laden is holed up some where in a cave with a old laptop running Windows for work groups 3.11. While chanting cyber jihad on the infidels. I guess he must have been spammed
--
Its the Democrats fault. In fact it is the Speaker of House Polosi fault. Everything is the Democrats fault. Everything. Just like Everything was the Republicans Fault when they were in power.

luminaire
Premium
join:2005-03-22
Oakville, ON
clubs:

Poorly thought out

This sounds incredibly poorly thought out, but typical military approach. They hurt us so we hurt them! Why not just blackhole the traffic. From talking to actual network managers who manage the networks that were "attacked" there hasn't been a lot of damage. Check out »www.cymru.com/ for more info on Internet health...
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Luminaire
»angrytelecomgeek.blogspot.com/
keyboard5684

join:2001-08-01
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Re: Poorly thought out

I think it sounds incredibly poorly reported. The US has long had programs in place for this, I think someone just threw some crap together for us to read.

Remember all those CIA commercials hiring (they are still on). The CIA began hiring IT people a long time ago, lots of them. Some of my co-workers "left" for those programs.

DrModem
Premium
join:2006-10-19
USA

heheh

this sounds like something from Battlefield 2142 - the guy on the page even looks like an EU soldier!
Forums » Uncle Sam Prepping 'Cyber Fighters'


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