Cyber War Games Pit Hackers Vs. Military

Exclusive Look At Air Force Office Tasked With Stopping Criminal, Terrorist And Espionage Computer Threats 24/7

(CBS)  It may not look like a battleground, but behind the walls at the Air Force Office of Special Investigations are the front lines in the booming cyber war against hackers driven to disrupt - even destroy - vital U.S. military networks and investigators intent on protecting them.

"What we want to do is protect the way we do business, protect the Air Force, and protect our country from this kind of harm," Brigadier General Dana Simmons said.

At the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, agents identify and attempt to neutralize criminal, terrorist and espionage computer threats of every kind, reports CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian. They have 11 field offices around the world.

Using brains and bytes, agents like Paul Alvarez play a high-tech game of cat and mouse - running traces, tracking IP address, assessing damage, plugging security holes in the network by erasing viruses and fixing programs and searching for the source of nameless, faceless intruders. There are thousands of attempts every day.

"We basically peel the onion layers back to find out where the core attack came from," Alvarez said. "We call them hot points. We'll chase them from computer to computer to end point to find out who really did it."

The only constant in the attacks: they come around the clock, and from around the globe.

"Now you're seeing a wide variety -- from major criminal enterprises to foreign adversaries," Alvarez said.

At risk: missile defense systems, communications networks - everything that makes the military work.

The Department of Defense says it has spent more than $100 million in just the last six months repairing the damage done by cyber attacks.

"It's a growing threat," Simmons said. "And it's growing by leaps and bounds."

Twenty-first century war games with nothing less than our national security at stake.

[zunipus]

An altered echo from above:

The #1 security threat to the US feds is CHINA.

The #2 security threat to the US feds is MICROSOFT WINDOWS.

I'll let the IT experts decide what OS will replace Windows, but literally ANY other choice will be an incredible improvement. But I will suggest some form of UNIX, and I'll point out that the top 3 most secure operating systems currently available have consistently been proven to be:
1) OpenBSD
2) FreeBSD
3) Mac OS X

Windows is a wide open highway for hackers and crackers to zombie or destroy any computer. The madness must end.

[ToolMangler1]

Most of the American public is unaware that the original 1978 FISA law was modified in 2001, in 2007 and in 2008. Each time, the law gained, not lost powers. By now the public has no idea of what rights it may retain, nor how they continue to be abused.
Posted by alphaa10000 at 1:03 AM : May 30, 2009





At no time does a government give up a law that gives it power beyond the normal constitutional limits. If such a law comes into being with a sunset clause attached, the clause will have hidden language and wording that will allow it to metamorphose and hide itself as another law or statute that ultimately bestows the same unearned powers back to the powers-that-be

[ToolMangler1]

Posted by andylance1 at 9:55 AM : May 30, 2009



Good point, But if they aren't already doing that then they are more stupid than anybody ever imagined

[dwilson59]

OH great some 12 year old is working for the goverment, what do we pay them with cupcakes and Milk.

[andylance1]

The two countries that have the world's largest number of hackers are China and Russia. Hacking is not discouraged by the government like it is here. They both literally have an army of hackers.

We need both defense and offense.

We need to have the capability to hack into Russian and Chinese websites, into their command and control capabilities, and mess with infrastructure, and power grid, and all communication.

We need lots of Chinese and Russian language speakers engaged in these activities.

[oiaf17]

You Obama no listen

You Pelosi no listen

You Bush no listen

You Cheney no listen

You Barney Frank laugh you

You Phil Gramm laugh you

You Newt Gingritch tai pang pang

You Bill Clinton play on girl

Nobody listen you

What happen you democracy?

What happen you freedom?

America go down now

[oiaf17]

Everybody agree free trade are bad.

So why government no listen?

Nobody listen you.

Why?

[nextgenman09]

Simple solution

Dump the Government supported Bill Gates Windoze monopoly junk

Go with Steve Jobs and Apple and Mac and OSX

Problem solved



Oh yes ... and betcha

Jobs would probably do it for same salary he gets at Apple - $1.00 a year
Posted by BC Kelly at 1:44 AM : May 30, 2009
-------

You're solution is a little glib, given that if Macs were prolific, they'd be under attack to - however - you are right about one thing: The DoD fell for GatesCo hook, line and sinker back in the early 90s. Against the advice of IT Professionals, the 101st Combat Business Major Battalion did everything wrong against the advice of IT professionals:

1. They centralized control of networks. DARPA - who funded the invention of the Internet will tell you: Networks, by design philosophy are NOT meant to be centrally managed. It defeats the purpose of distributed network risk.
2. The standardized on the worst possible desktop operating system possible: Microsoft. It has more security holes that a good swiss cheese. Always has, always will.
3. The put on-the-job- trained contractors in charge of everything.

Just like Business Majors killed the American Economy with their outdated, wrong-thinking practices, Business Majors have killed the DoD and its Computer Infrastructure.

That's why we're vulnerable.

[BC Kelly]

Simple solution

Dump the Government supported Bill Gates Windoze monopoly junk

Go with Steve Jobs and Apple and Mac and OSX

Problem solved



Oh yes ... and betcha

Jobs would probably do it for same salary he gets at Apple - $1.00 a year

[veils-2009]

That's a geeking uniform them Air Force computer types are wearing in the picture. Looks like flight suits.

[vagabundocosmico]

Sorry to say, in this little war game, the hackers have the edge.

They have no rules, no laws and no clear conscience of the damage they create.

Most hackers are brilliant and enjoy challenging themselves and those that say it can't be done. Those hackers could do great things for the world of computing and cyberspace.

Then there are the bad apples who enjoy wrecking havoc by creating viruses and worms just for the fun of it not taking into account that many people suffer as a result of their actions.

Many of these smart but unconcious hackers fall victims to quick schemes and governments who offer them everything they want in exchange for sensitive information and international cyber crime.

As long as there are computers, hackers will be there to keep them company.

[wdh3007]

This is all fair and good but stop playing games and focus on North Korea before they launch another missile there are more important matters at stake.

[WiseAsOwl]

Make sure the laws are stiff enough, offer very attractive rewards for information, and don't hire old, fat guys like me... Hire the young and the best....

[armyoftwelve]

Bomb those hackers!

[ibsteve2u]

Hey, Air Force....how about making a honeypot that delivers a nice little payload to the people from several countries whom I way don't trust - AND from inside the U.S. of A. - who keep pounding on my firewall doors and giving it away?

Free?

lollll...I'll run it, for sure, for sure...those people/entities annoy me.