CNBC’s Scott Cohn produced a segment focused on US Military cyber security which aired 11 October 2013 we believe will be of broad interest to our readers.
This segment, embedded below, focused on the increasing risk DoD networks face due to the government shutdown, but also provided a review of what CNBC assesses are the top five most significant attacks against DoD.
From the report:
“Military systems are growing more complex and more intertwined daily, making them more vulnerable and on top of that, we have these ongoing issues with budgets. There was first the sequester, which cut deep into IT modernization accounts, and now there is the government shutdown,” said Bob Gourley, the editor of CTOVision.com. Gourley has analyzed the U.S. military’s security.
The full economic impact may not be known for months, but according to Gourley, the Pentagon’s cybernetworks are vulnerable, which could lead to larger problems in the future.
It is interesting that when CNBC asked DoD for input on this situation they replied that all is well. DoD told CNBC that they are able to respond just fine and that:
“While the shutdown has been disruptive to our mission and many civilians remain furloughed, personnel who support key missions and activities remain on duty. These missions include sustaining critical IT capabilities and maintaining our network defenses.”
They also said:
“We have full confidence in the integrity of the department’s networks and systems upon which we conduct critical operations. Recent reports about cyber intrusions does not change that assessment.”
I hate to argue, but it is pretty clear the person responding to CNBC questions has not read the DSB study of Jan 2013, and it is also very likely they have not spoken to anyone responsible for operating or defending networks in the Pentagon.
For more from CNBC, see: Defense networks vulnerable to cyberattack: expert
