Pentagon Bill To Fix Cyber Attacks: $100M

The Pentagon spent more than $100 million in the last six months responding to and repairing damage from cyber attacks and other computer network problems, military leaders said Tuesday.

Air Force Gen. Kevin Chilton, who heads U.S. Strategic Command, said the military is only beginning to track the costs, which are triggered by constant daily attacks against military networks ranging from the Pentagon to bases around the country.

"The important thing is that we recognize that we are under assault from the least sophisticated - what I would say the bored teenager - all the way up to the sophisticated nation-state, with some pretty criminal elements sandwiched in-between," said Chilton, adding that the motivations include everything from vandalism to espionage. "This is indeed our big challenge, as we think about how to defend it."

According to Army Brig. Gen. John Davis, deputy commander for network operations, the money was spent on manpower, computer technology and contractors hired to clean up after both external probes and internal mistakes. Strategic Command is responsible for protecting and monitoring the military's information grid, as well as coordinating any offensive cyber warfare on behalf of the U.S.

Officials would not say how much of the $100 million cost was due to outside attacks against the system, versus viruses and other problems triggered accidentally by Defense Department employees. And they declined to reveal any details about suspected cyber attacks against the Pentagon by other countries, such as China.

Speaking to reporters from a cyberspace conference in Omaha, Neb., the military leaders said the U.S. needs to invest more money in the military's computer capabilities, rather than pouring millions into repairs.

"You can either pay me now or you can pay me later," said Davis. "It would be nice to spend that money proactively ... rather than fixing things after the fact."

Officials said that while there has been a lot of anecdotal evidence on the spending estimate, they only began tracking it last year and are still not sure they are identifying all the costs related to taking computer networks down after a problem is noticed.

The Pentagon has acknowledged that its vast computer network is scanned or probed by outsiders millions of times each day. Last year a cyber attack forced the Defense Department to take up to 1,500 computers off line. And last fall the Defense Department banned the use of external computer flash drives because of a virus threat officials detected on the Pentagon networks.

The cost updates come as the Obama administration is completing a broad government-wide review of the nation's cybersecurity.

In February, the White House announced that it would conduct a review to "ensure that U.S. Government cyber security initiatives are appropriately integrated, resourced and coordinated with Congress and the private sector," according to a release from the White House.

[rocketjl]

Sure wish the government (Congress) would make the hackers pay for all the tracking and fixing problems related to intrusions, viruses, and data thefts.

[hetup-2009]

What an absolute LIE

Try 99.99 Million into Black Programs and the rest to partying is more like it.

They never spent $100 Million on the junk computers they have. Street gangs have better computers, get a grip.

[Keith Geddes]

So this is SINCE our British Hacker is supposed to have ruined all the defence `puters then? WHEN does he get a pardon? His only crime was being too truthful in admitting what he did. Use domestic `tools` to gain entry to programmes that SHOULD be impenetrable to the outside world. If they werent.. we KNOW whose fault that is. How much money is ploughed into security and they havent upped the anti on their computer systems.

[tincup356]

A prime example of what the best people that can run our country are doing.......wasting money with no positive results other than make some lobbyists successful at stealing from the people.........Our government can waste money faster than they can steal it from us with new consumer taxes. Seems like the problem lies with how that money is managed,,,,and that is poorly..............Are not people of this country getting tired of hearing how all these people are so smart that no one else can do their job ,,,,but the ONLY result we get out of them...EITHER PARTY.....is failure, waste , and corruption?

[brainteaser2]

We've spent $100 Million and I still get spam daily. Sounds like it didn't get spent too well. Oh I forgot if we no longer allowed spam - that would be against business and so against being a republican.

[antoniof123]

Republicans have destroyed this country with there lower taxes and smaller government for the rich that is.

Enough is enough this is one swing voter that is going to vote against anything that is conservative.

[sly_64]

I could have done that for them for 1 M.

[Wookiee-1138]

That kind of bills will keep rising unless the Government bites the bullet and gives the nation's communications infrastructure a much-needed modern overhaul.

People don't seem to realize how far behind America's networks are compared to India, China, Russia, Japan etc.

Even the UK twits are pulling ahead.