DailyTech - US Military Creates Cyber Defense Department

Submit News

IT US Military Creates Cyber Defense Department
Michael Barkoviak - June 24, 2009 4:09 PM

15 comment(s) - last by Regs.. on Jun 25 at 8:51 AM

The US military now has a new cyber defense department aimed at protecting US military networks

The US military has officially created a new "cyber command" center that will help protect the military from foreign-based cyber attacks, along with possibly launching digital warfare attacks against rival nations.

The new department was established by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and marks the first time the US government has ever created such a department. The command will operate as part of the US Strategic Command, and will begin official service this October.

Gates will communicate with Pres. Barack Obama and recommend the director of the National Security Agency (NSA) leads the post. It's possible the NSA's Lieutenant General Keith Alexander will outline how the department will operate in the future, but nothing has been announced as of yet.

The command will specialize in defending military networks, and will not focus on defending other government computers. Military networks are continually under attack from both curious parties probing the networks and organized hacker rings.

US military officials hope the new cybersecurity unit will be fully operational in Oct. 2010.

There has been growing concern over the inability of the US government to protect both government and military institutions from increasing foreign cyber attacks, with China and Eastern European nations leading the attacks. Once talk began of a department aimed specifically for cyber-related defense, there was immediate confusion as to who would lead the department.

Should the President be in control? The Department of Homeland Security? NSA? Security experts have been meeting with government officials to try and figure out who is best suited to handle cyber security issues.

The US government still needs to create a department aimed at protecting US government networks, but it's unknown when that'll take place.

Comments

Threshold

Username
Password
remember me

This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled

Hey A/S/L?

By NullSubroutine on 6/24/2009 4:46:20 PM , Rating: 3

Wanna cyber?

*In walks CYBER COMMANDER*

*pewpew*lzrbeam*

"No cyber for you! Begone bot!"

RE: Hey A/S/L?

By Obujuwami on 6/24/2009 5:48:25 PM , Rating: 2

So, if you kill the cyber commander, does he explode and take the installation with him?

Parent

RE: Hey A/S/L?

By majBUZZ on 6/24/2009 8:45:18 PM , Rating: 2

Nice Supreme commander reference. I hear they are making supcom 3.

Parent

RE: Hey A/S/L?

By vhx on 6/24/2009 8:51:58 PM , Rating: 2

You mean SupCom 2 and yes, videos are already out.

Parent

President should be in "control"

By smackababy on 6/24/2009 4:34:41 PM , Rating: 2

It is a department that is directly related to the military. He is commander in chief of the military. I hope the US organizes hacker rings to hack other countries. Everyone would be a target, except North Korea and such that don't believe in internet.

RE: President should be in "control"

By ianweck on 6/24/2009 10:06:41 PM , Rating: 4

Terrible idea. Get someone who specializes in cyber security to "be in charge".

Parent

Just what we need

By JimboK29 on 6/24/2009 8:15:55 PM , Rating: 2

More govt control in the internet

RE: Just what we need

By Tsuwamono on 6/24/2009 11:14:55 PM , Rating: 2

Its not government control you retard...

Parent

About f-ing time

By ianweck on 6/24/2009 10:08:44 PM , Rating: 2

What the hell took so long? Seriously, we could've used this department ten years ago.

RE: About f-ing time

By Regs on 6/25/2009 8:51:28 AM , Rating: 2

We did. Now they just made a new name for it with a stakeholder to pass blame on. Kind of like how G.W. Bush made Homeland Security and Border Patrol, yet people blamed Bush for everything and anything anyway (like Katrina). Don't get me wrong, this is a step in the right direction. More organization and centralization is just what we need.

Networks are much more secure when everybody who protects it can be identified and are located in a head quartered in a centralized building in DC....

Parent

Maybe...

By Spookster on 6/24/2009 5:59:43 PM , Rating: 1

they should call it Cyberdyne.

RE: Maybe...

By BillyBatson on 6/25/2009 6:35:19 AM , Rating: 2

sounds like the start of skynet

Parent

This doesn't seem like anything new...

By Boze on 6/24/2009 4:35:05 PM , Rating: 2

Back in 2005 my old FTC (Fire Control Technican, Chief) told me about a new rating (job) in the Navy called CTN (Cryptographic Technician, Networks).

He explained it to me as these were the guys (and girls) that were going to be infiltrating foreign networks and protecting the Navy's networks against foreign attacks. The waiting list to transfer into that job was about 6 to 18 months, depending on who you knew. He got in after about 8 months or so.

I guess the rest of the military took a cue from the Navy? Or either they're just now giving these branches some kind of inter-service autonomy?