Setting the stage for a "cyber war" with China?
Matt Gratz, Political Fail Blog
Specialists from the McAfee internet security company have announced they have discovered the biggest-ever series of cyber attacks in history, Reuters reports on Wednesday.
Seventy-two organizations, including the United Nations, International Olympic Committee and government institutions of the US, Canada, Taiwan, South Korea and Vietnam, have been hacked by the attackers.
As a result, the hackers succeeded in gaining access to various confidential documents.
The specialists believe that one “state actor” is standing behind the campaign and security expert Jim Lewis says the evidence points to China.
This comes shortly after President Obama and the pentagon announced that cyber attacks were to be considered acts of war. With tensions all ready high about the US’s debt, could this be a lead in to a war with China?
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal back in June, “If a cyber attack produces the death, damage, destruction or high-level disruption that a traditional military attack would cause, then it would be a candidate for a ‘use of force’ consideration, which could merit retaliation.”
Later in June a report came out by the AP laying out the “cyber-war” guidelines set by President Obama. The orders detail what situations will call for armed forces to seek presidential approval for specific cyber assaults on an enemy, as well as begin to lay groundwork for how America can regularly weave cyber capabilities into their own offensive.
In May the Pentagon formally filed paperwork that says computer sabotage from another nation counts as an act of war. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, one unnamed military official was quoted as saying, “If you shut down our power grid, maybe we will put a missile down one of your smokestacks.”
It seems that “cyber warfare” has become a hot button issue for the Obama administration. Vice President Biden has even gone as far as declaring Julian Assange a “high-tech” terrorist. In a speech on open government, President Obama has been quoted as saying, “For a long time now there has been too much secrecy in this city, the old rules said that if there is a defensible argument for not disclosing something to the American people, then it should not be disclosed. That era is now over.“
So with all this double speak, and the “threat” from cyber terrorists, is a silent war being planned behind the scenes while the media focuses on the non-debate about the national debt? Remember Military spending is the one issue both teams agree to not even put on the table.
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Seems like Obama just wants to play war any chance he can get.
Don't we owe a shit load of money to China? Maybe instead of paying them back, we can just give them some "humanitarian assistance," Libya style.
@Anonymous I really doubt Obama wants to go to war. He is just doing what he needs to do to keep us and other people around the world safe. What would you do if you were in charge of a country that was being attacked by hackers? If "anonymous" hacks the wrong system and blows us up, then you will be thanking president obama.
*****LOGIC FAIL ALERT*****
"If "anonymous" hacks the wrong system and blows us up, then you will be thanking president obama"
If -anyone- gains access to a secure system which protects potentially deadly information or equipment, I would BLAME the person who set up, maintained and operated the system and falsely thought it was secure, not the hacker who did it.
People don't need Obama keeping them safe, they can do a better job themselves. We don't need government to nanny us.
The statement: 'what if anon haaaacks the wrooooong thaaaang?' is pretty stupid.