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Agitation in cyberspace

While cyberspace has grown to be loved and needed for Internet-connected devices, it is
increasingly becoming a place of risk and danger, vulnerable to hacks and cyber warfare.
People may question if cyberwar can ever actually be called a war but, from a cyber-security
perspective, the simple answer is yes. Although cyber warfare has never formally taken place
yet, a cyberwar is a significant threat and may take place in the near future.

Some experts believe that the mere hacking of critical systems does not count as cyber warfare
but are simply security loopholes that outside hackers often exploit. However, as the motivation
of malicious hackers will go from economic or social to purely ideological, there is a potential for
an escalation of attacks that can potentially affect the military and intelligence functions of world
governments and aid high-level spying; therefore the threat is real and it is to be considered a
war, albeit of a newer, technological kind.

Anxiety over of Cyberwar and Cyberdefense

The notion of cyberterrorism has sparked several studies on the potential risks. As the
cyberspace consists of systems and technologies that are typically connected to other
information systems on the Internet, it is an excellent breeding ground for attacks.

Over and over again, weaknesses are exposed that are giving end users the impression that no
one is safe.

In some cases, weaknesses in America’s industrial control systems have allowed intruders
unauthorized access to networks routed through the cyberspace infrastructure. Cyber Risk
Intelligence says the increasing interconnectivity of Industrial Control Systems (ICS) to the
Internet should be secured and tested to ensure vulnerabilities are mitigated and risks
minimized, as they have become vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

Recently, the Department of State has been the target of a massive attack that has led to the
complete shutdown of its e-mail system and a complete overhaul of its cyber security stance.
Hackers had breached their security perimeter and its unclassified system. Another unforeseen
breach that was discovered at the White House computer systems (in October) has been tied to
a criminal group in Russia.

Nations like China have conducted massive electronic probing of networks in the U.S., say
cybersecurity experts. Nevertheless, cybersecurity issues challenge literally everyone.

Even more recently, a security service firm has published a report outlining the cyber activities
of Iranian hackers who allegedly penetrated the systems of a number of government agencies
and infrastructure companies in several countries, including the United States.

30 Cyber Warnings E-Magazine – December 2014 Edition
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