Dept. of Defense to Announce Cyber Command

By Jane McEntegart
published

Earlier in the week, we published a report detailing a breach of Pentagon security that saw cyber-spies make off with terabytes of data from the Joint Strike Fighter program, the U.S. Department of Defense’s most expensive weapons program to date.

Many of you questioned how this could even happen and criticized the DoD’s attitude toward cyber threats. Reports today say the government is endeavoring to step up its game when it comes to protecting against online attacks and will soon appoint a specific command dedicated to overseeing cybersecurity. WSJ reports that Defense Secretary Robert Gates plans to announce the creation of a new military "cyber command" after the rollout of the White House review.

Citing National Security Agency Director and three-star army general Keith Alexander, the Journal says the NSA is calling for a "team" approach to cybersecurity that would see the NSA take care of protecting military and intelligence networks while the Department of Homeland Security protected government networks.

What do you guys think of this news? Yesterday nearly all of you agreed that the government needed to pick up the pace when it came to hacking and cyber threats. We look forward to a more structured team dedicated to keeping the our military and government data safe. Lets hope at least one member of this team will notice if terabytes of data start walking out the door. Leave your thoughts below!

Jane McEntegart
33 Comments Comment from the forums
  • bungee91
    Seems to me that there planning is a bit backwards!...
    To say something like "the U.S. Department of Defense’s most expensive weapons program to date" and then to have gaping security holes (as it sounds) after actually having data that needs to be secured seems just ridiculous to me!
    Reply
  • audioee
    Why do these companies that have government contacts have such sensitive data on computers that can see the general internet? This is what makes no sense to me.
    Reply
  • audioee
    I meant to say "government contracts".
    Reply
  • jsloan
    because they are morons
    Reply
  • greenskye
    wait... We didn't have any type of cyber security before? It was just sort of whatever security measures the project leader happened to think of? What are we in? the 50's?
    Reply
  • jsloan
    by the way its not just them, banks and others are doing transactions over the internet, so just keep that in mind when you go to your atm machine and do something. the servers are on the internet open to anyone.
    Reply
  • fatedtodie
    If toms followed up on the story it seems it was bogus. Every other news service says it didn't happen and it was just a few overzealous people inside the company and in the government that went all sensationalist. It didn't happen.

    As to the cyber command... we already have one in the air force this must be a DOD level one (though they have that already too). Gee good thing Obama knows how the government works authorizing all this wasteful spending.
    Reply
  • They should get on time warners tier program so they know when they reach 100 gb of data transfer.
    Reply
  • airborne11b
    fatedtodieIf toms followed up on the story it seems it was bogus. Every other news service says it didn't happen and it was just a few overzealous people inside the company and in the government that went all sensationalist. It didn't happen.As to the cyber command... we already have one in the air force this must be a DOD level one (though they have that already too). Gee good thing Obama knows how the government works authorizing all this wasteful spending.
    Don't forget congress, their the ones that put forth and approve most spending, not the president. But that's besides the point.

    How can you think more cyber security is a "waste" of spending? IMHO the more people we have to defend against cyber threats the better.

    Considering that America as a whole is almost fully dependent on the internet I can't see how anyone could think that more security is a "Waste of spending" when it comes to defending the internet and it's users.
    Reply
  • ckthecerealkiller
    audioeeWhy do these companies that have government contacts have such sensitive data on computers that can see the general internet? This is what makes no sense to me.
    What do you think the name "Joint Strike Fighter" indicates. This is a program that will assist the United Kingdom, Norway, Australia, Canada, and Italy in replacing their aged fighters.

    jsloan because they are morons.......I'm not even going to dignify that with a response.
    Reply