Korean Hackers??? and how our hands are tied...

Josh Rogin at Federal Computer Week has another interesting article on recent attacks traced back to South Korean servers AND a good discussion on what elements of current United States Policies may be limiting our ability to respond to cyber attacks.

This question is becoming more critical all the time. Cyber attacks are increasing in number and in sophistication everyday. It is only a matter of time before someone initiates an attack that will catch us off-guard, much the way 9/11 caught us off-guard.

Air Force General Ronald Keys, Commander of Air Combat Command had several interesting points:

The recent UltraDNS attacks raised several questions for DOD policy makers, Keys said. “How do you react to that attack? How do you trace it back? What are the legalities included? What do you do when you do find them? It’s a huge challenge,” he said.

The enemy is no stranger to cyber attacks:

“We’re already at war in Cyberspace, have been for many years,” said Keys. Terrorists use the Internet extensively, through remotely detonated bombs, GPS, Internet financial transactions, navigation jamming, blogs, bulletin boards, and chat rooms.

This statement is the most intriguing - mostly because it is true:

Cyberspace is the only warfighting domain in which the U.S. has peer competitors, Keys said.

Chalmer