Cyber Terrorism
Johnny A. Reese
SOS-110-OL
Written Assignment 3
The greater threat to our nation is not the cyber crimes against individuals such as identify theft but the potential terrorist cyber attacks on national institutions. Whereas, security theft, credit fraud and other cyber crimes against individuals have had devastating impact to our society and as pointed out by Anne Bordon (2007) the annual cost in the United States is estimated to be a staggering 500 million. Although, a notably significant amount this figure does not compare to the possible damages a cyber terrorist attack would impose to our country’s vital infrastructures. The many systems that Americans relay upon daily for banking, transportation, energy and national defense would have a devastating negative impact if subjected to a successful cyber attack. “Cyberwar would not be as lethal as atomic war, nor as visibility drastic but if a single large American bank were successfully attacked it could have an order-of-magnitude greater impact on the global economy than the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks” (Sanger, Markoff, and Shanker). Cyberwar and the constant cyber threats caused by the United States potential adversaries has caused for concerns to protect these system’s vulnerabilities. Our government and Department of Defense (DoD) are constantly implementing ways to increase their network defenses to prevent compromise to these systems through cyber attacks.
The ability for government and DOD to protect its vital infrastructures and prevent the control systems of major national systems against cyber attacks must be diligently supported to prevent what happened on the Baltic nation of Estonia. The government was subjected to cyber attacks that penetrated their system causing shutdown and loss of major government websites. As a result Rebecca Wright (2007) pointed out, WEB WAR I demonstrated to the world exactly what a successful organized cyber attack could do to a national institutions computer
SOS-110-OL
Written Assignment 3
The greater threat to our nation is not the cyber crimes against individuals such as identify theft but the potential terrorist cyber attacks on national institutions. Whereas, security theft, credit fraud and other cyber crimes against individuals have had devastating impact to our society and as pointed out by Anne Bordon (2007) the annual cost in the United States is estimated to be a staggering 500 million. Although, a notably significant amount this figure does not compare to the possible damages a cyber terrorist attack would impose to our country’s vital infrastructures. The many systems that Americans relay upon daily for banking, transportation, energy and national defense would have a devastating negative impact if subjected to a successful cyber attack. “Cyberwar would not be as lethal as atomic war, nor as visibility drastic but if a single large American bank were successfully attacked it could have an order-of-magnitude greater impact on the global economy than the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks” (Sanger, Markoff, and Shanker). Cyberwar and the constant cyber threats caused by the United States potential adversaries has caused for concerns to protect these system’s vulnerabilities. Our government and Department of Defense (DoD) are constantly implementing ways to increase their network defenses to prevent compromise to these systems through cyber attacks.
The ability for government and DOD to protect its vital infrastructures and prevent the control systems of major national systems against cyber attacks must be diligently supported to prevent what happened on the Baltic nation of Estonia. The government was subjected to cyber attacks that penetrated their system causing shutdown and loss of major government websites. As a result Rebecca Wright (2007) pointed out, WEB WAR I demonstrated to the world exactly what a successful organized cyber attack could do to a national institutions computer
References: Borden, A, The Cost of Credit Fraud (2010 Oct) http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/features/credit-card-fraud.html Rebecca.G, Victory in Cyberspace, Air Force Association Special Report, October 2007 (Arlington, VA: Air Force Association, 2007), http://www.afa.org/media/reports/victorycyberspace.pdf. Sanger. D, Markoff. J, and Shanker.T, (2010 Oct) "U.S. Steps Up Effort on Digital Defenses," New York Times, April 28, 2009, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/us/28cyber.html.