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Derived From: Air Force works to defend cyberspace, too AFCYBER

In 2003, the White House published "The National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace," a document that presents cyberspace security as a subset of Homeland Security and outlines a wide range of initiatives to "protect against the debilitating disruption of the operation of information systems for critical infrastructures and, thereby, help to protect the people, economy, and national security of the United States."

One of those initiatives calls for the government to "improve coordination for responding to cyber attacks within the U.S. national security community."

The Air Force answered that call in December 2005 when it announced its new mission statement: To deliver sovereign options for the defense of the United States of America and its global interests -- to fly and fight in air, space and cyberspace. 

This statement marked a dramatic increase in the service's focus on cyberspace; indeed, the Air Force has begun to reorganize itself to conduct cyberspace operations.

The Air Force is in the process of building a new major command responsible for cyberspace operations. Scheduled for initial operations capabilities by Oct. 1, the Air Force Cyber Command will organize, train, and equip forces to preserve freedom of access to cyberspace, much as Air Combat Command and Air Force Space Command preserve free access to air and space, respectively.

Air Force Cyber Command specific responsibilities will depend in part on exactly how one defines its operating environment. In contrast to the land and sea environments, cyberspace is difficult to define precisely, but leaders around the world realize that success in any type of warfare depends on protecting one's own data while preventing adversaries from using theirs.

According to former Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne, "Cyberspace is a domain for projecting and protecting national power, for both strategic and tactical operations." Furthermore, "the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff defined cyberspace as characterized by the use of electronics and the electromagnetic spectrum to store, modify and exchange data via networked systems and associated physical infrastructures."

Such broad definitions cover many activities, including defending or attacking computer networks, using communication and global positioning system satellites, and conducting Internet financial transactions. Air Force Cyber Command may find itself involved in many of these activities.

However one defines cyberspace, securing it brings many of the same advantages that accompany the freedom to use other environments for peaceful purposes. Criminals, pirates and terrorists -- who have long prowled the land, sea, and air environments -- will certainly operate in space when they can. In fact, they are already menacing cyberspace.

Peaceful world commerce depends on security in all these environments. Just as the police, U.S. Army, Air Force, and Navy/Coast Guard help protect land-transportation routes, freedom of the skies, and freedom of the seas, respectively, so will Air Force Cyber Command help ensure freedom of cyberspace.

Secretary Wynne observed that creation of the command reflected the existence of war in cyberspace: "This step simply recognized the ... fact that significant Air Force personnel and technology have long been engaged in fighting in cyberspace."

Military leaders know that their ability to fight on the ground, at sea, in the air, and in space depends on computer networks vulnerable to attack through cyberspace. As technology advances, the financial cost of establishing a presence in cyberspace and operating there will probably decline, increasing the risk that hostile groups may try to undermine the global information network that supports U.S. and coalition national security.

According to "The National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace," a spectrum of malicious actors can and do conduct attacks against our critical information infrastructures. Of primary concern is the threat of organized cyber attacks capable of causing debilitating disruption to our nation's critical infrastructures, economy, or national security.

AFCYBER will prepare forces for use by national leaders, but will not try to control all military cyberspace activities because that realm remains an inherently joint environment requiring the interdependent action of many military and civilian organizations.

The command represents one more step in an ongoing process to safeguard the electromagnetic environment within which computer networks vital to military and commercial activities alike reside. Much work remains, though, because as the military organizational structure for cyberspace has begun to take shape, many doctrinal and operational concepts have not been finalized.

Federal Activity

Papers

Russia v Georgia

Estonia

Russia

  • Russians Wage War On Chechen Websites Reuters 11/15/02
    • India v. Pakistan
    "Another example is India and Pakistan engaging in a cyber protest caused by national and ethnic difference.  After a cease-fire in the Kashmir Valley hackers took it upon themselves to continue the hostilities.  In 2000, pro-Pakistan hackers defaced more than 500 Indian web sites.  Conversely, only one known Pakistani site was hacked by the Indians.  ... The group G-Force Pakistan was the most active group claiming involvement in the events." - NIPC, Cyber Protests:  The Threat to the US Information Infrastructure p. 5 (Oct 2001)
    September 11, 2001
    China - US

    "One high profile incident occurred in May 1999 after the United States accidentally bombed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia during the NATO air campaign.  US web sites were defaced in the name of china and massive email campaigns were executed to gain sympathy and support for the Chinese cause.  Government web sites were primarily targeted.  The US Departments of Energy and the Interior, and the National Park Service all suffered web page defacements.  In addition, the White House web site was taken down for three days after it was continually mail bombed.  This action was relatively unorganized in fashion, short in length, and affected a small number of US sites.

     "Pro Chinese hackers also acted against Taiwan during the Taiwanese presidential elections in August and September 1999.  Cyber protects and hacktivists compromised 165 Taiwanese web sites, mainly defacing them, over the two month period.  Their ultimate goal, as it was stated, was to negatively affect and bring own Taiwan's infrastructure.  Among the targeted sites were electricity, economic institutions, telecommunications, and air traffic control.  Although teams began to develop and organize near the end of the operations, the damage was relatively light, similar to the attacks on US sites earlier in the year.   Importantly, strategic targeting and some organization of forces became accepted strategies for future protests and hacks.  These hackers are likely to become more organized and more successful in future incidents.

     "In late April and early May 2001 Pro-Chinese hacktivists and cyber protesters began a cyber assault on US web sites.  This resulted from an incident in early April where a Chinese fighter was lost at sea after colliding wide a US naval reconnaissance airplane.  It also coincided with the two-year anniversary of the Chinese embassy bombing by the United States in Belgrade and the traditionally celebrated May Day and Youth Day in China.  Led by the Honkers Union of China (HUC), Pro-Chinese hackers defaced or crashed over 100 seemingly random web sites, mainly .gov, and .com, through DoS attacks and similar exploits. Although some of the tools used were sophisticated, they were readily available to both sides on the Internet.

    "Many defacements of US sites included posting pictures of the dead Chinese pilot Wang Wei and profane messages calling for the downfall of the United States.  Pro-United States hackers responded with similar defacements, messages, and damage on 300 Chinese web sites.  Of interest is that some pro-Chinese hackers violated hacker etiquette by wiping some compromise servers.  The rule of thumb is to deface or crash a web site but to leave the information intact, otherwise it is considered bad form."  - NIPC, Cyber Protests:  The Threat to the US Information Infrastructure (Oct 2001)

    Israel - Palestine

    "In October 2000, Israeli and Palestinian hackers engaged in adversarial hacking when the prolonged peace talks between the two groups broke down.  During this difficult time, hackers seized the opportunity to attack web sites belong to the opposition.  Starting October 6, 2000, 40 Israeli web sites and at least 15 Palestinian web sites suffered defacements at the hands of opposing hackers.  This coincided, of course, with physical violence in the region.  It was also a problem for US based web sites.  US web sites will often fall victim, regardless of their lack of proximity or involvement in the events.  For example, several US sites were hacked by pro-Palestinian hacktivits, including the take down of a lobbyist group web site.  The hackers then posted group membership information and credit card numbers.  This activity did little to affect the United States as a whole although it illustrates how a seemingly unrelated event can potentially affect US sites.

    "The level of sophistication ranged from low level activity using simple defacement to coordinated, relatively sophisticated attacks such as potential root access penetrations.  Several hacking tools were developed specifically for this engagement.  Any type of attack was considered during this time, including perpetration of viruses, DoS attacks with email bombing, and sustained, amplified pinging attacks.  Web sites containing these various hacking tools were readily available for download to anyone who wanted to join the action.

    "Pro-Palestinian hackers hit any type of Israeli site that they were able to compromise, many times defacing them with messages such as, "Free Palestine" or "Free Kashmir."  FloodNet software was a major tool used by the Israelis.  The cyber protesters simply visited a site and FloodNet would repeatedly send requests to the targeted server.  This type of virtual sit-in is a popular form of a DoS attack.  Many of these attacks were successful as servers were bombarded and went down repeatedly.  Targets included ethnic specific organizational web sites and those of financial institutions to disrupt the infrastructure.  Ecommerce sites crashed and there was an economic impact reflected in Israeli markets.  It was, however, the root access attempts that were the most dangerous for the defenders.  Hackers who can gain root access to sites give them unlimited freedom to do whatever they wish.  This is the highest level of penetration possible although no successful root access penetrations were reported.

    "These events attracted a wide variety of hackers eager to join the fight.  Both sides were well-organized and used reconnaissance and intelligence gathering techniques to maximize their effectiveness.  Even outside hacking groups, such as G-Force Pakistan, joined forces with the Palestinians to lend a helping hand.  This is increasingly common.  Some outside groups join an effort because they have similar political or ethnic motivations, however, this is not always the case.  Some groups participate in hacks simply for the desire to hack or the publicity, not out of a sense of loyalty."
    - NIPC, Cyber Protests:  The Threat to the US Information Infrastructure (Oct 2001)
  • Israel Blocks Palestinian ISP, Wired 7/17/02
  • Mideast strife echoed online, Nando 4/22/02
  • Middle East Conflict Spills Into Cyberspace, Register 4/17/02
  • Israel under hack attack, BBC 4/17/02
  • Israel's Seminar On Cyberwar Jan 10 wired
  • Mideast cyberwar hits U.S. Nov 3, 2000 usatoday
  • Israelis Hackers Vow To Defend Nov 15, 2000 wired
  • FBI: Mideast Hackers May Strike U.S. Sites Nov 2, 2000 cnet
  • Hackers target U.S. pro-israel site Nov 3, 2000 mercurycenter
  • Mideast cyberwar hits U.S. Nov 3, 2000 usatoday
  • Mideast Trouble Spills Into Cyberspace Oct 31, 2000 abcnews
  • FBI: Mideast cyberwar could reach U.S. Oct 31, 2000 usatoday
  • Israeli government, army Web sites crash after hostile hits Oct 26, 2000 cnn
    		•
    Serbia
  • Internet unites Kosovo foes, BBC 4/22/02
  • 'Serb hackers' on the rampage BBC 4/14
    • Japan
    "Recently, Japan has been targeted twice in online protests.  During the first week of April, 2001, pro-Korean hackers attacked Japanese organizations responsible for the approval of a new history textbook.  The textbook glossed over atrocities committed by Japan during World War II and the occupation of China and South Korea.  The perceived reluctance of Japan to accept responsibility for its actions triggered these events.  The main participants in this incident were Korean University students, who used email bombs in a DoS attack.  The students crashed several web sites, including Japan's Education Ministry, Liberal Democratic Party and the publishing company responsible for the textbook.  These attacks were neither long lasting nor were they largely organized.

    "In Early August 2001, Pro-Chinese hackers targeted Japanese web sites after Japan's Prime Minster visited a controversial war memorial, the Yasukuni Shrine.  In a brief period of time, hackers defaced several web sites belonging mainly to Japanese companies and research institutes.  This indicates the continuing willingness of pro- Chinese hackers to use cyberspace and hacking tools as a platform for protests and cyber civil disobedience, as well as for displaying a strong sense of patriotic nationalism."  --- NIPC, Cyber Protests:  The Threat to the US Information Infrastructure (Oct 2001)

    Books

    News

  • U.S. leads in launch of cyberattacks, CNET 1/28/02
  • Rights Group Decries Internet Guerilla Warfare, Newsfactor 9/6/02
  • Mock Cyberwar Fails To End Civilization, Register 8/14/02
  • S. Korean Activists Plan Cyber Attack Vs. U.S., USAToday 7/17/02
  • The Coming Of The CyberWar, Newsfactor 5/17/02
  • Cyberattack Could Result In Military Response, USA Today 2/15/02
  • Sen. Wyden Proposes Volunteer Tech Guard, Wash Tech 12/10/01
  • Tech warning: we are at war, ZDNet 12/14/01
  • Bush taps Clarke as cyberdefense chief, CW 10/1/01
  • Will hacking become the new warfare?, CNET 6/21/01
  • Cyberspace: The next battlefield, USA Today 6/19/01
  • Potential Cuban cyberattacks alarm U.S. officials, USAToday 5/16/01
  • Cyberwars: Real-World Conflict On Web, Smart Business 2/16/01
  • Feds Say Fidel Is Hacker Threat, Wired 2/9/01
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