US Cybersecurity Plan Includes Offense

z4ns4stu writes "Shane Harris of the National Journal describes how the US government plans to use, and has successfully used, cyber-warfare to disrupt the communications of insurgents in Iraq. 'In a 2008 article in Armed Forces Journal, Col. Charles Williamson III, a legal adviser for the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Agency, proposed building a military "botnet," an army of centrally controlled computers to launch coordinated attacks on other machines. Williamson echoed a widely held concern among military officials that other nations are building up their cyber-forces more quickly. "America has no credible deterrent, and our adversaries prove it every day by attacking everywhere," he wrote. ... Responding to critics who say that by building up its own offensive power, the United States risks starting a new arms race, Williamson said, "We are in one, and we are losing."'"

what about anonymous?

[Anonymous Coward]

Who needs a botnet when you have a labotomized group of internet hooligans who only need a target worth harassing?

This Sounds Like

[boudie2]

A job for Bill Gates, smartest man in the world. Only he can catch Osama Bin Laden and keep the world safe for democracy. Isn't this all sounding like the story line to a bad movie?

Some of the ways theey're taking down email

[NoYob]

...proposed building a military "botnet," an army of centrally controlled computers to launch coordinated attacks on other machines.

Dear Terrorist:
I am a Jihadist in Nigeria with $10 million and if I put it into a bank, those infidel Americans will freeze it. If you send me $5,000 to open an account in the Cayman Islands, I will put you in for half!

Or the other one:
Dear Terrorist:
Do want a LARGER penis? With a LARGER penis, you'll be more of a man and be able to take out those infidel Americans! Buy V1@gr4 from us! We will make you BIGGER and STRONGER! Allah be praised!

or:

Make BIG MONEY selling AK-47s from home! Make even more with IEDs!

Kill Americans!

Re:Can't happen

[Anonymous Coward]

Do they really need a special computer to check filesystems? I thought most computer had this feature built in.

Strangelove

[Hemogoblin]

Mr President, we must not allow a script-kiddie gap!

Botnet?

[omni123]

A military botnet? No problem; just throw all the federally owned computers in to another one, I'm sure Conficker doesn't mind sharing...

Re:Reminiscent of the Cold War

[Adambomb]

But But But, I want my Kuang Mark 11 to slot into my deck!

Oh... :-\

[Quiet_Desperation]

When I saw "offense" I envisioned a couple crackers in Eastern Europe getting a drone launched Hellfire missile up the rear. Oh well.