Fergie's Tech Blog

U.S. Military Needs Hackers, StratCom Chief Says

William H. McMichael writes on MilitaryTimes.com:

Uncle Sam is looking for a few good computer hackers.

The U.S. military needs a two-edged cyber capability that can not only defend its .mil and .smil domains from outside attacks but, if necessary, launch cyber attacks against intruders. To do that, the individual services need to recruit and train more cyber-qualified personnel, Air Force Gen. Kevin Chilton, chief the U.S. Strategic Command, said today.

The military is dependent on its .mil and .smil domains for everything from e-mail exchanges to employment of its nuclear arsenal. StratCom’s vast portfolio includes operating and defending those domains.

The importance, Chilton said, is self-evident.

“On your worst day, you want to be able to make sure that the military network still works so that you can effect either the defense of the United States ... or an offensive action, should they be required,” Chilton said in a meeting with Military Times reporters and editors.

“The hardest thing we’re going to have to do is to be able to operate this network in time of war — as we will be attacked,” Chilton said. “And there’s no perfect firewall.”

posted by Fergie @ 9/30/2008 10:12:00 PM