U.S. military looks to make cyberwarfare part of its arsenal

The United States is studying the use of cyberwarfare – attacks that could cripple or control an adversary’s key computer networks – which could prove useful in a conflict with Iraq, officials and security experts say. If pursued, it would mark the first time the United States, which has been trying to strengthen its defenses against Internet attacks and cyberwarfare, will have used these tools as a weapon. The Washington Post reported that President George W. Bush signed a secret directive instructing the government to develop rules for how and when the government uses cyberwarfare that could, for example, disable radar and electrical facilities. Lieutenant Colonel Gary Keck, a Pentagon spokesman, declined to offer specifics but said the military is looking at new technology as part of its arsenal. “The implications of new information technologies make it incumbent on the Department of Defense to research and explore new concepts and capabilities to ensure that it can continue to effectively fulfill its mission of protecting the United States, its people and its national interests in the information age,” he said. Full Story