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US Begins Dropping 'Cyberbombs' On ISIS (nytimes.com)
In what appears to be a significant shift in its tactic to battle against the terrorist organization, the U.S. has begun launching cyberattacks against ISIS (non-paywall link). The New York Times reports that the Department of Defense's Cyber Command unit is mounting cyberattacks against the terrorist organization. The Cyber Command unit aims to stop the organization from spreading its message. The Times reports: The goal of the new campaign is to disrupt the ability of the Islamic State to spread its message, attract new adherents, circulate orders from commanders and carry out day-to-day functions, like paying its fighters. A benefit of the administration's exceedingly rare public discussion of the campaign, officials said, is to rattle the Islamic State's commanders, who have begun to realize that sophisticated hacking efforts are manipulating their data. Potential recruits may also be deterred if they come to worry about the security of their communications with the militant group. "We are dropping cyberbombs," Robert O. Work, deputy secretary of defense said. "We have never done that before."
More from the interview with Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert O. Work:
"We've developed a wide array of cybermunitions that fill various roles in our Comprehensive Cybercombat Arsenal (CCA). We can drop cyberbombs that selectively destroy the enemy's Information Superhighways and Network Bridges. We can keep out hostile cyberforces by putting up a very tall firewall and, if need be, surrounding the perimeter with cyberexplosive charges--our Minecraft is very strong. "
The Deputy Secretary leaned in conspiratorially, "Our most powerful cyberbombs can even level entire GeoCities."
He raised his eyebrows, nodded once, and finally leaned back in his chair, folding his arms with what can only be described as supreme confidence.
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