Just read an interesting article folowing up on the Stuxnet computer worm attack that disabled thousands of Iran's centrifuge systems utilized to enrich uranium --

Iran's Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Center (CERTCC) has recently announced some of the specifics
ot the W32.Flamer virus -- is is described as " highly sophisicated and discreet" and "not likely written by a single individual but by an organized well-funded group working via a clear set of directives" by a company investigating the virus.

Iran apparently tested 43 anti-virus programs on the flame virus, and reportedly, none could detect any malicious components.

Flame is said to be able to steal documents, take screenshots of user's desktops, disable security products and spread thru removeable devices (i.e. thumbdrives, etc).

It has furthur been described to "appear to be benign,... but has cleverly concealed malicious functionality" ..... " and an architecture that allows the authors to change functionality and behavior within one component without having to rework ... other modules used by the malware controllers."

The Iranians (who are among the victims of the virus which ihas been alleged to have stolen massive amounts of computer data in Iran, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, and other places in the Middle East) asert that th evirus distributes itself via removeable media and local networks, can "network sniff" to detect targeted computers/databases, and collects lists of passwords. It is also said to be capable of using the infected system's microphone to record conversations and environmental sounds.

I don't think I'll be engaging in any "Hot Chat" with those sultry ladies who so advertise, any time soon, and I'll have to remove any incriminating photos from my desk, just in case

Heeeeeee... it is kind of nice to see the bad guys get a dose of their own medicine.

That said, I believe we need a strategic definition and strategy to deal with cyber attacks. Many of the government sponsored attacks on our infrastructure could easily be seen as acts of war. For people that understand only force, a de facto policy of tolerance only encourages more attacks.

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Proud anachronism

In other words hang on to your sextants, star tables and slide rulers boys.

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Forum consigliere

Actually, the US does have a strategic and tactical definition of "cyber warfare" and a new Cyber Warfare Command Group -- and is developing, enhancing and deploying cyber warfare assets -- for both offensive and defensive actions -- and an act of "cyber warfare" can clearly be "an act of war". We are definitely prepared but perhaps not as prepared as we need to be.

Interesting that the Iranians are complaining openly -- clearly they are trying to tailor public opinion -- about the attacks. As interesting, is that the antagonists of the attack are unknown (and for understandable reasons, not claiming credit).

The Chinese are very capable in this realm, the Indians, and of course,
the Israelis (the expertise of their elite military "8200 intelligence unit"
is legendary).

Our next war may be won by an as yet obscure computer geek squirreled away in rural Virginia or Key West or Montana --
interesting times we live in.

Caj hit that dead center -- as I told many young troops while extolling the virtues of land navigation training using a compass and a map "A GPS with a bullet hole thru it makes a good paperweight, ditto if the satellites go down -- a map with a bullet hole thru it is still a map and your compass will still read True North".

Roger that sir.

We have grown entirely too dependent on electronics in so many venues. There will be a massive collapse of our entire social structure if our devices fail.

I just re-read "One Second After". Very few people are prepared to go back to even a decade ago.

I'm stocking up on basics.

Hobie

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Laissez les bons temps roulez!

the overall concept is nothing particularly new.
we've been caught in the crossfire of a war between virus script kiddies and antivirus software companies since before we could log onto the internet. As with any war, escalation is a reality and if it is as described, someone just dropped a nuke

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it just needs more voltage

Col Jagdog is right on..

I rue the day that the Army abandoned high frequency radio (which can operate through an EMP-disturbed ionosphere) for all long haul comms and placed all its eggs in the SATCOM basket.

Knock down or cripple the space segment and we're in the dark.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

But unless you drag out an old 90 pound Collins R390a, you won't hear anything.

But as a bonus, they will nicely heat your house.

Cyber warfare is not the wars of the future...they are now.

And the issue is not likely to be EMPs or even massive hits on the National Grid [though a Grid strike is easier than we want to think]. The issue is worms and spiders and bugs. They creep inside our corporate computer systems, some laying dormant for years. Some will have the ability to drop the system to its knees, others will just corrupt data to the point we will lose confidence in it, and do we really want that in our banking system.

And they are written by nations, by folks like Al Qaeda and by folks like Anonymous AND by the ticked off software developer down the street whose job just got outsourced to Mumbai so his corporate stock could go up two points and the CEO could get an extra $5Million bonus.

And they give me a headache every single day.

My son was a USMC computer guy, back in the early 2000's a US 'Spy" plane(I think a P3 Orian) got rammed by a Chinesse Fighter and had to land on a Chinesse island. There were lots of hot words between the governments. The USAF cyber people alerted all military computer units to prepare for an imanate Chineese "Cilvian" attack; then nothing happened. The Youth of America that lives in mom,s basement, got word of the attack an America cyber soil and hack attacked China so bad! I've never been prouder of guys in dirty tee shirts and pajama pants. While there is a large brain trust "in the basement", that is not the A team. The rumers of USAF Cyber "Security" units are amazing and as always unconfirmable.

The incident happened to a U.S. Navy VQ-1 EP-3E (Orion) Aries II Electronic Surveillance Aircraft (April 1st, 2001) and a People's Liberation Army Navy J-8II Finback. You can read about the incident (pictures, etc.) on: VQ-1 - 01 APR 2001 Mishap Summary.

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.:God Bless America:.

Good Grief!

Urban America STARVES as Cyber Attack shuts down the fast food FOOD PICTURE cash registers and the Fryer Timers.

Counting Change and Telling Time with clocks and watches, not digital devices should be mandatory learning in the schools.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

I can not believe how many people can not drive their car without a GPS to navigate the way. Turn right here, Seems we used to be able to drive anywhere in the Country with a map or just street signs.

How do I find Ohio from Florida?

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Still Running Against the Wind

You can't get there from here.

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Dum vivo cano

I keep a Rand-McNally Road Atlas in my truck (which does have a hi-speed navigation system) plus maps of the major cities I drive to (Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette, Houston, Shreveport) -- takes me only 2-3 minutes to figure out where I need to be and jot a few notes down on how to get there once I turn off the interstate or major highway.

Ya but they sure find their way coming down the opposite way. Some big road with a "I"in it.

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Still Running Against the Wind

Heck, ever been in a big store when the power went out for a few minutes due to a storm? Place shuts down.

At work if the computers went down, we were out of business, Just sit there and twiddle your thumbs.

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Still Running Against the Wind

Would you believe magnetic North ?

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CSM, U S Army(Ret) 1963-1990

<cough>polar shift<cough>

Ummm, in a northerly direction -- which should be magnetic north as corrected by polar shift. Points well taken.

It's why I use Sirius as a backup at night.

From what I deal with on a day-to-day basis, people can't find their directions WITH a GPS.

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The Last Standing Knight

I got it covered.
I still have my 'Nerd Sword'!

Attached Images

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Field Researcher. IGC

Sounds like Windows Vista. They should upgrade to Windows 7.

Want a little cyberwar deja vu, all over again? Read (or reread) Tom Clancy's "The Bear and the Dragon", ca. 2000.

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Rick, W0FG
CTR2 68-72