DOD, Industry Address 'Intense Challenge' of Cyber Security

ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 7, 2011 – Senior Defense Department officials and members of the information research industry met here today to discuss how to better protect military and commercial cyberspace.

The Internet has fueled advancements

The Internet has fueled advancements and opportunities in business, medicine and other spheres, said Army Gen. Keith B. Alexander, commander of U.S. Cyber Command and director of the National Security Agency on Fort Meade, Md.. But, he added, protecting networks from information theft or attack by hackers is a big job.

"When you look at the vulnerabilities that we face in this area, it’s extraordinary," Alexander said. Government and commercial networks worldwide have experienced repeated assault by hackers over the past several years, he noted.

Domain just as air

DOD views cyberspace as a domain just as air, land, sea and space, the general said. New and better ways must be developed in partnership with private industry to defend the nation’s military and commercial information networks, he said.

First, the Defense Department is looking at creating special "hunter teams" to actively look for computer viruses and malware, Alexander said. Such teams, he added, would be part of "a dynamic" perimeter-defense network.

Another change that would upgrade the military’s cyber defense and save money, Alexander said, is adapting cloud computing platforms. In cloud computing, applications are accessed from Internet web browsers to put it more exactly than being installed on each individual computer server. Remote servers are used to store organizational data and information.

The cloud … [and] it’s cheaper

"It’s easier to secure the cloud … [and] it’s cheaper," he said, noting a test program demonstrates potential DOD information research savings of 30 percent by using the cloud network system.

The Internet’s birth 40 years ago created both great opportunities and risks for society, said Dugan, noting that DARPA was heavily involved in its creation.

Today, people around the globe rely on the Internet for communication, information, commerce and entertainment purposes, she said.

However, cyber criminals steal information worth millions of dollars from businesses worldwide each year, Dugan said. To tell the truth, she added, 2004 marked the first time that proceeds from cyber crime exceeded profits made from the sale of illegal drugs.

Today, a connected, motivated group operating through the Internet can accomplish tasks in a frightfully short period of time, Dugan said.