The Secret Pentagon Push for Lethal Cyber Weapons

cruelsister

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Under a forthcoming nearly half-billion-dollar military contract, computer code capable of killing adversaries is expected to be developed and deployed if necessary, according to contractors vying for the work and former Pentagon officials

U.S. troops would have the power to launch logic bombs, instead of traditional explosive projectiles, which essentially would direct an enemy’s critical infrastructure to self-destruct. As previously reported, an upcoming $460 million U.S. Cyber Command project will outsource to industry all command mission support activities, including “cyber fires” planning, as well as “cyberspace joint munitions” assessments.

Unlike traditional espionage malware or even the Stuxnet virus that sabotaged Iranian nuclear centrifuges, cyber fires would impact human life, according to former Defense officials and a recently released Defense Department “Law of War Manual.” The visceral response to the word “war” for anyone in uniform is that it’s ugly and people get killed, said Bill Leigher, a recently retired Navy admiral with decades of warfighting experience who now runs Raytheon’s government cyber solutions division.

“When I use ‘cyberwar,’ I’m thinking of it, in a sense of war,” he said. “So, yes, war is violence.”

Raytheon, Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin are among the major defense firms expected to compete for the CYBERCOM contract.


Note: much more in the article. If interested follow the link.
 
L

LabZero

It is very interesting.
Generally, in my opinion, the Cyberwar is a reality in which they pursue similar objectives in the past, but with the use of modern tools. More attention is needed on how to conceive the new battleground. Yesterday more real and today more hidden.
But if this cyber-force gets out of hand, there may be consequences of equal value to a real war.
 

cruelsister

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As ridiculous as this will sound, there is a heated argument in certain sectors in the US trying to determine if a Cyber Attack should be regarded as a terrorist attack or an act of war. The distinction is actually quite important as it is resulting in a power struggle between the Dept of Homeland Security (DHS wants it termed a Terrorist attack so they would be in charge), and the Department of Defense (the DOD wants it to be an Act of War so they can be the Man).

Too bad they don't pool their resources and actually put preventative measures in place.
 
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