A U.S. Strategy To Combat Foreign Cyberattacks (Commentary)

Google Inc.'s offices in Beijing, China. Google Inc., owner of the world's most popular search engine, said hackers tried to steal passwords from hundreds of Gmail users, targeting the accounts of government officials in the U.S. and Asia. (Keith Bedford/Bloomberg)

A U.S. Strategy For Fighting Cyberattacks -- L.A. Times editorial

The Pentagon is developing a new cyberwarfare strategy that calls for the use of military force in response to certain kinds of damaging online attacks on U.S. institutions.

The Pentagon is developing a new cyberwarfare strategy that calls for the use of military force — including conventional weapons — in response to certain kinds of damaging online attacks on U.S. institutions. That's fine in theory; if foreign agents launch a cyberattack on, say, the nation's electrical grid, it may be both reasonable and proportionate to fire missiles at, say, the attacker's energy supplies. But as recent hacks and phishing attacks on Google's Gmail service and on defense contractor Lockheed Martin indicate, the theory may not translate well to the murky, messy reality of what's happening online.

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My Comment: A sobering look at what are our limits when it comes to responding to a cyberattack. In addition, Thomas Lifson at the American Thinker has a must read piece on the what to expect from China and future cyber attacks .... China's 'blue army' just warming up with cyber-attacks.