Amazing that one really doesn't hear that much about it, but of course banks and other hacked businesses don't like to let on that their systems have been penetrated. Lots of trade secrets are being stolen.
Read more from the people who track this stuff: The-changing-and-terrifying-nature-of-the-new-cyber-warfare
Don't say you weren't warned.
The Shadow Warriors is a genre-busting novel of suspense, incorporating international locales (Singapore, Hong Kong, Boston, Brussels and Germany), technology (software agents) and the derring-do at a German university. The story is framed by an outbreak of information warfare. Emma Lee Davis, a web security consultant, must dredge up a painful summer in her past to discover a means to end the info-war that has disrupted civilization.
Showing posts with label Cyber War. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cyber War. Show all posts
Friday, June 7, 2013
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Read the Infowar Blog
Here is the link. Infowar Blog Lots of late-breaking news, etc.
Assume everyone who can read has learned of the attack on GoDaddy yesterday. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Assume everyone who can read has learned of the attack on GoDaddy yesterday. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Yes, Sir! Senator!
The Senate has blocked an important cybersecurity bill that
would have required business and industry to beef up their security standards,
especially in vulnerable infrastructures like dams, transportation and power
grids. If information warfare ever
breaks out, and most experts think this is just a matter of time, it will
affect all businesses, and then we will have to listen to them howl about the
money they are losing. Yet, the
U.S, Chamber of Commerce screamed that the legislation would be “too
burdensome” for corporations.
From my years in IT, I learned that business never wants to
spend money that won’t immediately bring in more money, and that the short term
always trumps the long term.
Most CEO’s understand zilch about their vulnerability in the area of
cybersecurity and how real the threat of information warfare is. They think the IT department, well, they should serve sales and
marketing and sure, keep our data safe.
Ask yourself how many companies have had credit card and
other information stolen. Hasn’t
that been rather costly? Wouldn’t
it have been better to beef up security rather than alienate customers and
suffer all the bad publicity?
Can’t they see beyond their noses?
I guess not.
For a detailed look at the Senate’s short-sightedness, here is the link from the New York Times:
Saturday, July 28, 2012
CyberSecurity: people just don't get it!
Gaaa! After reading about the Olympic grand slam opening last night, I caught sight of a NY Times article about taking the teeth out of a CyberSecurity bill because it would be too hard (read expensive), for businesses to comply with. Business would be the first to scream and rant if a cyber war broke out and they were brought down by infrastructure problems or a ripped-to-shreds economy.
I worked in IT for 20+ years, and believe me, business is always dragging its security heels. I had to scream loud and long before the customer service people stopped leaving orders by the fax and copy machines, orders with the customers' credit card numbers and expiration dates. I had to beg for a shredder for confidential information. I had to preach and tear my hair before everyone understood that by law you could not put the credit card CVVC number on an electronic file. I cannot tell you how many forms used to ask for that number. Duh! Business is in business to do business and as the old saying goes, the devil take the hindmost. Credit card processors are hide bound and dragged their feet for as long as possible before the fines outweighed the cost of cleaning up their act.
Business will never implement security measures because it's always more important to please the marketing department who comes up with some meatball idea that needs implementation yesterday! Executives are mostly focused on sales, not the security infrastructure. Someone has to mind the CyberSecurity store and right now it's looking like that someone is no one.
When the cyber war breaks out, don't blame me and don't blame your president. Blame those who didn't want to spend a few bucks to beef up their systems: electric grids, transportation, nuclear power plants, all those pieces of our infrastructure that may be vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Brother can you spare a dime?
I worked in IT for 20+ years, and believe me, business is always dragging its security heels. I had to scream loud and long before the customer service people stopped leaving orders by the fax and copy machines, orders with the customers' credit card numbers and expiration dates. I had to beg for a shredder for confidential information. I had to preach and tear my hair before everyone understood that by law you could not put the credit card CVVC number on an electronic file. I cannot tell you how many forms used to ask for that number. Duh! Business is in business to do business and as the old saying goes, the devil take the hindmost. Credit card processors are hide bound and dragged their feet for as long as possible before the fines outweighed the cost of cleaning up their act.
Business will never implement security measures because it's always more important to please the marketing department who comes up with some meatball idea that needs implementation yesterday! Executives are mostly focused on sales, not the security infrastructure. Someone has to mind the CyberSecurity store and right now it's looking like that someone is no one.
When the cyber war breaks out, don't blame me and don't blame your president. Blame those who didn't want to spend a few bucks to beef up their systems: electric grids, transportation, nuclear power plants, all those pieces of our infrastructure that may be vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Brother can you spare a dime?
Monday, May 14, 2012
New Book on Info War
The Art of Intelligence: lessons from a life in the CIA's Clandestine Service
Just out today! Sounds compelling for anyone interested in our government's fight against cyber-terrorism.
Just out today! Sounds compelling for anyone interested in our government's fight against cyber-terrorism.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Cassandra Syndrome
Counter-terrorism czar Richard Clarke discusses cyber war in this month's (April 2012) Smithsonian Magazine. This story sounds so much like The Shadow Warriors (the Stuxnet virus) that I too feel like Cassandra, for having first written about Info War after hitting upon the idea for the "Warriors" from Paul Strassman in an article way back in 1995. Can you believe it?
I recommend anyone interested in the topic of cyber or info war to head to your nearest library and sit down with the April Smithsonian Magazine. According to Clarke, the U.S. can go on the offensive but we are virtually (!) helpless against an offense. Where are Wayne, Christof, Kathy Chang and even Emma (my characters) when we need their expertise so badly? Bring on the Skunk Works!
Lots of questions, few answers, but Richard Clarke has his ideas about Stuxnet. Endlessly fascinating.
The Shadow Warriors hit the nail on the head. Read about it now, before the Cyber War brings down your computers.
I recommend anyone interested in the topic of cyber or info war to head to your nearest library and sit down with the April Smithsonian Magazine. According to Clarke, the U.S. can go on the offensive but we are virtually (!) helpless against an offense. Where are Wayne, Christof, Kathy Chang and even Emma (my characters) when we need their expertise so badly? Bring on the Skunk Works!
Lots of questions, few answers, but Richard Clarke has his ideas about Stuxnet. Endlessly fascinating.
The Shadow Warriors hit the nail on the head. Read about it now, before the Cyber War brings down your computers.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
The Coming Cyber Wars
Today's Boston Globe has an interest op-ed page about cyber warfare and what the U.S. government admits and does not admit. All the gurus on this topic agree that the cyber war will be a "when" not an "if" scenario, and of course industry is lagging behind any meaningful readiness. As a result, the government may have to intervene to keep electric grids and the whole infrastructure safe(r).
Most people are unaware of this whole concept. Scary, really. If you want to read about the kind of war I'm talking about in an earlier time, a "what might have been" scenario, it's just as frightening today as it was for the fictional participants then. And just as puzzling. Who knew? And today? Who is ready? Maybe the U.S. government, perhaps other governments, and perhaps no one is really ready. Read about it here…
Most people are unaware of this whole concept. Scary, really. If you want to read about the kind of war I'm talking about in an earlier time, a "what might have been" scenario, it's just as frightening today as it was for the fictional participants then. And just as puzzling. Who knew? And today? Who is ready? Maybe the U.S. government, perhaps other governments, and perhaps no one is really ready. Read about it here…
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Cyber War
This just in: Cyberwar, the NSA and the Internet
Some interesting bedfellows, but then we all know that war and politics make strange bedfellows.
Some interesting bedfellows, but then we all know that war and politics make strange bedfellows.
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