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Air Force Aims for Control of 'Any and All' Computers
Noah Shachtman on Wired.com's Danger Room reports that Monday, the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson AFB introduced a two-year, $11 million effort to put together hardware and software tools for 'Dominant Cyber Offensive Engagement.' 'Of interest are any and all techniques to enable user and/or root level access,' a request for proposals notes, 'to both fixed (PC) or mobile computing platforms ... any and all operating systems, patch levels, applications and hardware.' This isn't just some computer science study, mind you; 'research efforts under this program are expected to result in complete functional capabilities.' The Air Force has already announced their desire to manage an offensive BotNet, comprised of unwitting participatory computers. How long before they slip a root kit on you?
"... botnet, when they could have the real thing?" Ahem, probably because they can't afford it. I mean the Air Force has a problem purchasing planes because a Democrat congress keeps cutting their funds. You should be happy they're trying to find a way to do things with a limited number of resources instead of hiking your taxes.
Distributed, anonymous sources.
So make a little TSR program, put a download link on the USAF homepage and say "Do your patriotic duty. Be an official Air Force Cyber Officer. Install this software today."
I guarantee within 6 months you'll have about 10 million downloads from redneck hillbillies the world over (not just in the USA, either) willing to do anything to git those goddang red Chinese, as long as it doesn't involve putting their own neck in the potential line of fire.
There's no need to do this covertly. There would be many more people available to do this willingly if asked than there will be available to do it unwillingly and unknowingly.