Cyberattacks Archives

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The Fight Against ISIS Moves to Cyberspace

December 29, 2015/in Military, Military News

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Could cyberattacks against the Islamic State be the way to fight the extremists? The Pentagon is considering increasing efforts to disable the extremist group’s computers, servers and cellphones to disrupt potential terrorist attacks.

Military hackers and coders at Cyber Command have developed malware that some officials say are capable of sabotaging the militants’ propaganda and recruitment capabilities.

But the FBI and intelligence officials have some concerns about closing off ISIS’s communications, warning that an effort to constrict internet, social media and cellphone access in Syria and Iraq might also shut down access to ISIS’s locations, leadership and intentions.

Another concern is the repercussions these actions might have on humanitarian aid organizations, opposition groups, and U.S.-backed. And because computer viruses don’t respect boundaries, there is the possibility that the malware could spread to computers outside the country.

Following the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, CA, Pentagon officials are preparing to step up cyberoffensives in light of the evidence that the husband and wife shooters who killed 14 people on December 2^nd had become self-radicalized via the internet.

For now, the White House is leaning toward more targeted cyberattacks, pinpointing specific phones, computers or other digital devices used by the militants.

Responsible for U.S. offensive operations in cyberspace, Cyber Command has targeted some computer networks and social media accounts since August 2014.

But some experts warn that a blackout could backfire, with ISIS militants using alternatives methods such as flash drives, satellite phones, or other devices or platforms.

After Twitter began shutting ISIS’s official accounts in 2014, they encouraged operatives and followers to use encrypted social apps and stronger privacy settings, making it more difficult to monitor their activities.

Intelligence officials say ISIS has become adept at changing computers, cellphones and messaging apps when one is compromised.

When its websites are shut down or recruiters are blocked, they often switch to other sites or accounts and the communication gets out.

The arrest of 19 year old Jalil Ibn Ameer Aziz of Harrisburg, PA, highlights the dilemma faced by federal authorities when investigating potential terrorism cases in the United States.

Aziz had at least 57 Twitter accounts, using them to post ISIS propaganda. Although Twitter repeatedly suspended Aziz’s accounts due to the violent content, he quickly set up others that allowed followers to re-establish contact.

Military Connection: DOD Recruits for Cyber Force in Silicon Valley

May 16, 2015/in Military Veteran, Veteran Employment

By Debbie Gregory.

After the increased cyber activity over the last year, including acts of cyber terrorism, the U.S. Department of Defense has heightened its efforts to become better equipped to fend off cyber threats. But according to the Pentagon, the U.S. is still a long way from having the capabilities and resources needed to repel a massive cyberattack from a major world power or highly advanced cyberterrorists.

The DOD devised a plan to man 133 military cybersecurity teams with three core missions:

To provide cyber support to combatant commanders across the globe.
To operate and defend the DOD’s operation network.
To be responsible for defending the nation’s critical infrastructure and resources.

As of the beginning of April, 2015, approximately 50% of the teams are operational. The department expects to have all of the teams ready to go by October, 2016.

In order to remedy their shortcomings and add manpower, the DOD is looking into unconventional methods for attracting tech experts into the department. One way that the department is doing this is by a full-scale recruitment campaign in Silicon Valley. The Pentagon is looking for ways to harness the brilliant minds, expertise, and innovations that the region is producing by offering cyber specialists positions in the National Guard, Reserves, and also in non-military roles within the DOD.

“We’re thinking about ways we can get new pipelines or tunnels of talent into the department from non-traditional places,” said Eric Rosenbach, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Global Security.

One of the biggest challenges that the Defense Department faces is maintaining the level of training that is needed for the task of cyber defense. This task requires that they stay on top of the constantly changing technologies, how to use them, and how to prevent others from using them against us. This requires persistent training and constant personnel certification and recertification.

Seeking help and manpower from the source of the country’s tech community is a brilliant strategy. There are many Americans in and near Silicon Valley that have brains for science and innovation, but also possess the hearts of patriots and a love for their country. With the right incentives and opportunities in place, these tech experts could be manning our cyber defenses, and innovating our nation’s cybersecurity program into the world’s leading cyber force.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their Families. We are the go to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go to site.

Military Connection: DOD Recruits for Cyber Force in Silicon Valley: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: Military Ups Missile and Cyber Defenses

April 11, 2015/in Archived Blogs

By Debbie Gregory.

Recently, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) began bolstering its security, including carrying out increasingly realistic tests of its missile defenses.

Officials from the MDA have begun undertaking these measures due to the fact that North Korea has fielded hundreds of missiles that have the capability of reaching U.S. forces based in Japan and South Korea. Despite the ongoing negotiations for a nuclear treaty, the MDA is also concerned with Iran’s development of more sophisticated missiles. These missiles endanger U.S. and allied naval vessels in the Persian Gulf, as well as commercial shipping on the Strait of Hormuz. The MDA contends that both North Korea and Iran could achieve the capability of launching an intercontinental ballistic missile as early as this year.

In March, 2015, the Pentagon launched a full review of missile defense programs and capabilities, a necessary action after the budget cuts to the Army and Navy. The review is being carried out by an office within the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with the intention of meeting defense requirements with the forces required under the new budget. But the demand for regional ballistic missile defense forces clearly exceeds what the military services are able to provide after budget cuts.

In the meantime, the MDA is carrying out more exercises to prepare for possible missile attacks, while increasing the tempo and complexity of its testing, reducing costs, and investing in new technologies.

The MDA is also working with the DOD’s chief weapons tester and military commands operating missile defense systems to ensure defense against escalating cyberattacks. The agency has completed dozens of inspections and tests to improve the cyber defenses of its weapons systems, guarding against attacks by insiders, and ensuring that contractors and suppliers do a better job protecting their computer networks. The MDA is also working with federal law enforcement to track and hunt down cyber attackers.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force,Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their Families. We are the go to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board,information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go to site.

Military Connection: Military Ups Missile and Cyber Defenses: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: Top Military Leader on Cyber Attacks

January 23, 2015/in Archived Blogs

In the wake of the recent cyberattacks, Washington is all abuzz about preventing future attacks.

The November, 2014 “Sony Pictures Entertainment Hack” caused a media frenzy. Whether your news source is T.V/radio, internet sites or printed publications, regardless of your level of interest in politics, foreign policy, entertainment or gossip, you were aware of the Sony hack.

The attacks revolved around the release of the Seth Rogan/James Franco comedy “The Interview” whose story revolved around a fictional assassination attempt against North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un. Hackers released private and sensitive personal information about Sony executives, including contract negotiations, and also launched viruses that erased data from Sony’s computers. Hackers informed Sony executives that they would continue their cyberattacks and release more sensitive information if the company released the comedy through any medium.

U.S. government officials publicly stated their beliefs that the government of North Korea was “centrally involved,” if not completely behind the cyberattack. Evidence obtained by the FBI linked the hack to malware and internet protocol (IP) addresses associated with previous encounters with known North Korean hackers.

On January 12, 2015, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) had their official Twitter and Youtube accounts hacked and hijacked by a group sympathetic to the Islamic State. The hackers posted pro-ISIS tweets and threats to American soldiers on the Twitter account, and two ISIS propaganda videos on the Youtube account. Both accounts were closed, corrected and re-opened within hours.

While neither of these highly publicized and highly embarrassing cyberattacks contained any breach of national security, they do remind us that we may not be as safe as we think we are in our cyber security.

On the day before CENTCOM had its social media hacked, General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, commented in an interview with Fox News about how the Sony attack demonstrates that the U.S. military’s superiority on the battlefield is not as lopsided in the cyber world.

Gen. Dempsey, whose position makes him the chief military advisor to the president, has long called for upgrades in cyber warfare and security. In a June, 2013 speech, the nation’s senior military leader told attendees at a Brookings Institution forum about the increased frequency of cyberattacks, and the need to equip the military against such threats.

“This is the new normal in cyberspace,” Dempsey said. “Disruptive and destructive cyberattacks are becoming a part of conflict between states, within states, and among non-state actors. The borderless nature of cyberspace means anyone, anywhere in the world, can use cyber to affect someone else.”

Gen. Dempsey concluded his speech by saying:

“The rise of cyber is the most striking development in the post-9/11 national security landscape. We are doing everything we can inside the military to be ready to operate in cyberspace. I call on our elected officials and the private sector to match the urgency. Together, we must place this nation on surer footing against the cyber threat.”

A year and a half later, and the general’s words are still ringing true. Currently, the U.S. military and the federal government are in the process of expanding education and military programs to make the playing field in the cyber world as one-sided as it currently is in real-world combat for the U.S. military.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard,Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their Families. We are the go to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go to site.